April is Construction and Skilled Trades Month
Construction and Skilled Trades Month is a time to celebrate the contributions of B.C.’s construction and skilled trades workers in building and maintaining the homes, communities and infrastructure of our province.
This year’s theme, “Working Together to Build B.C.,” honours those whose expertise and experience has helped build the province. Check out the Construction and Skilled Trades Month website to learn more about this year’s theme and events.
The Honourable Lisa Beare, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, and Janet Routledge, Parliamentary Secretary for Labour, released a statement acknowledging the significance of Construction and Skilled Trades Month. They recognize the impacts of construction and skilled trades workers and the growing demand for more people to enter these occupations to continue building and maintaining B.C.’s homes and communities.
The 2023 edition of B.C.’s Labour Market Outlook report estimates over 85,000 job openings in the skilled trades over the next 10 years. Many construction and skilled trades careers are high-opportunity occupations, meaning they offer the best opportunities over the next decade.
Discover careers in construction and the skilled trades
Start by taking a Career Discovery Quiz to find out if a career in trades is right for you. Then use the career search tool to explore construction and skilled trades careers that pique your interest the most.
Curious to see which trades are experiencing the most demand in B.C.? View a list of the top 15 in-demand trades.
WorkBC.ca has over 500 career profiles that include career overviews, average earnings, industry data and more. Here are career profiles of some of the most in-demand skilled trades:
- Carpenters
- Heavy Equipment Operators
- Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- Welders and related machine operators
- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
- Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
- Plumbers
Find training
- Use the Find Your Path tool to explore educational and skills training pathways.
- Check out the Trades Training section of WorkBC.ca to learn more about trades training, apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.
- Visit SkilledTradesBC to search over 100 trade programs in B.C.
- See TradeUpBC, a website that connects tradespeople with post-secondary institutions for short-term training opportunities, like micro-credentials.
Find support
- Discover whether you’re eligible to receive financial supports during your apprenticeship.
- Connect with your local WorkBC Centre to learn how they can support you on your employment journey.