The best hire you haven't made yet

A message from CAREERS: The Next Generation:

On Sept. 28, Alberta marks Apprenticeship Day, a provincial recognition of the skilled tradespeople and apprentices who keep the economy running. For employers facing persistent labour shortages, the day is also a reminder of one of the most effective, and most overlooked, workforce development strategies available: building a strong program to mentor and develop apprentices in-house.

According to Stefan Rutkowski, president & CEO of CAREERS: The Next Generation, employers who invest in developing apprentices early are solving tomorrow's staffing problems today.

"Apprenticeship Day is a great moment to recognize the tradespeople who built this province, but it's also a call to action," says Rutkowski. "If you're an employer struggling to find skilled workers, the answer isn't always out there in the labour market. Sometimes it's about growing your own talent from within."

That's the philosophy behind CAREERS, a non-profit that has spent nearly three decades connecting Alberta youth with employers for paid internships and apprenticeships. The organization works directly with schools across the province, giving students exposure and a head start in the trades and other high-demand industries before they graduate.

"Engaging with youth while they're still in high school, or right after they graduate, gives employers an edge," Rutkowski says. "You get to help shape someone's skills early, build loyalty, and create a pipeline instead of scrambling to fill a position every time someone retires."

That pipeline is already paying off in Camrose, where DeeJay Plumbing and Heating has hired students through the Registered Apprenticeship Program since 2007. "We're talking 20% to 30% of our staff," says Clayton Appleby, the company's preconstruction manager, "and a lot of our core staff has come out of the program."

Dee Jay's project manager/estimator, Stephanie Schielke, is one of them. "I started in the Registered Apprenticeship Program 18 years ago, and now I'm helping to train the next generation of skilled workers," she says. "It feels amazing."

Rutkowski sees that as proof no single group builds a workforce alone. "It takes schools, employers, and communities pulling in the same direction," he says, "and that's exactly what's happening in places like Camrose."

To make that easier, CAREERS offers qualified employers up to $7,500 in funding to hire youth through the Youth Internship Incentive Program. Spots are limited, and Rutkowski encourages interested businesses to apply soon.

"We want to help as many employers as possible bring on an apprentice this year," he says. "The funding takes some of the financial pressure off, but the real value is what that apprentice brings to your team long after the funding runs out."

In addition, CAREERS' services, from matching businesses with vetted, work-ready youth to supporting the paperwork behind funding applications, are entirely free.

"We get there are also challenges with mentoring youth, but the vast majority of our employer partners understand it's worth it. We exist to make it as easy as possible for employers to get started," Rutkowski says.

As Alberta celebrates the tradespeople shaping its future this Apprenticeship Day, CAREERS is encouraging employers across the province to think about the apprentice they could be training next. Find out more at www.careersnextgen.ca.