Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week is Skilled Trade and Technology Week in the Northwest Territories. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness about skilled trades and high-tech careers. In fact, this year marks the 50th anniversary of apprenticeship training and certification in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, in the coming years the entire country will face a shortage of skilled workers. We’re witnessing a major transition to the so-called knowledge economy that relies on a well-trained and highly educated workforce to deliver value-added services.
Here in the Northwest Territories, new mining projects are projected and devolution will attract new investment. The economic outlook released by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment predicts that by the year 2020 our workforce will increase by more than 2,000 jobs.
Mr. Speaker, segments of our population are undereducated and under-skilled and just plain unprepared for these new job opportunities. If these young people don’t have the necessary skills, they won’t be employable. So it’s vital that we support our homegrown talent and young people.
With this in mind, I’d like to congratulate the top 10 achieving apprentices from Hay River, and they are having a ceremony today at the Education, Culture
and Employment office in Hay River which, unfortunately, my colleague and I are unable to attend but wanted to congratulate them from us today. • Austin Larocque, an automotive service
technician working for De Beers Canada;
• Cameron Sapp, a heavy equipment technician
within the GNWT’s Department of Transportation;
• David Nolan, a carpenter working for Arctic
Canada Construction;
• John Dahl, an electrician apprenticing for
Zapped Electric;
• John Pidhirniak, a plumber and gasfitter working
with Taylor and Company,
• Daniel Richards, power line technician with
Northland Utilities NWT Limited;
• Michael Young, a gasfitter working for Stittco
Energy Limited;
• Michael Giesbrecht, a welder with Concept
Energy Services; and
• Tristan Campbell, an industrial mechanic and
millwright working with the Diavik Diamond Mines.
So, Mr. Speaker, later today I’ll have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on what our government is going to do to have more young people in the trades and receiving the kind of training that they need, and I’ll be also bringing into that the fact that Hay River has a beautiful trades shop. Maybe we need a centre of excellence for trades training for our young high school students.
I’d just again like the House to join me in congratulating these accomplished young people in their success to date. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
