The Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII) hosted a Regional Skilled Trades Advancement Forum on Friday, March 29th in Walkerton to gather input and insight on opportunities to work collectively as a region to expand and increase the supply of skilled trades to meet future demand.
The concept of the Nuclear Innovation Institute is to develop a centre of excellence that is a community-style hub that encourages active inquiry and research, fosters creative and dynamic ideas and promotes continuous and collaborative learning.
The Forum in Walkerton brought together over 90 participants, including officials from local, regional and provincial governments, representatives from trade unions and labour organizations, senior college and school-board administrators, executives from Bruce Power and numerous suppliers with significant future skilled trade needs, as well as, local business leaders from outside the nuclear sector.
The focus of the forum was to ensure that the local labour market is in a position to adapt, and respond to, increased employment opportunities in the skilled trades.
“Innovation is about finding new products, ideas and methods; this includes finding creative, collaborative ways to build our skilled trades resources,” said Frank Saunders, President, Nuclear Innovation Institute. “Helping ensure we have enough trades to support Bruce Power’s Major Component Replacement (MCR) program and the regional nuclear industry is key to our success. Today has been a great example of how the NII will bring together key partners in the public and private sectors to help ensure we continue forward on the path to long-term success – collectively.”
The half-day session began with a keynote address from Patrick Dillon, Business Manager, Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, who spoke to a number of fundamental topics, including; the opportunities to building capacity through apprenticeships, developing the local economy, the diversity of career opportunities and the consistent need to be proactive when it comes to safety.
The Forum also included an expert panel discussion featuring Scott Clark, Manager of Labour Relations, Bruce Power, who explored the labour market impacts of the Bruce Power investment program; Bruce Smith, Project Manager, Black & McDonald Limited, a major employer of skilled trades, with significant future skilled trade needs, and; Mary Jane Bushell, President and CEO, Larsen & Shaw Limited, who provided a local, non-nuclear perspective, as well as, expertise in training and business development models from Germany and the southeast U.S.
