b'Fortunately, governments have started to reverse course on currentPROVINCIAL STRATEGIES AIMEDmessaging. Ferreira notes that the government has been investing aAT PROMOTING SKILLED TRADESlot of money into promoting the trades as a potential career option, and the industry has started to seeRETURNING increased interest as a result. ThatsMANITOBA CONSTRUCTION CAREER EXPO SEPTEMBER 28in its infancy, he qualifies. We dontFor more than a decade, WCA and its partners have been operatingknow where that will go, but therethe Manitoba Construction Career Expo to promote the industry to thedoes certainly seem to be heightenednext generation of workers. The event gives more than 2,000 high school interest now in at least exploringstudents from across the province the chance to get hands-on experience career opportunities in trying a variety of trades at the Red River Exhibition Park.the trades.The industry itself has increased its efforts, and schools have comeMCSC SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY OUTREACHon board in a couple of ways. TheThe Manitoba Construction Sector Council manages Trade Up Manitoba, a industry has been spending a lot ofprogram that promotes careers in construction with classroom presentations, time not only promoting careers in thecareer fairs and a one-stop website offering an in-depth look at trades and skilled trades, details Ferreira, butconstruction careers within the province.also trying to address some of those underlying stereotypes, educatingMWC UNLOCKING THE TOOLKITyoung people about the benefits ofManitoba Women in Constructions annual Unlocking the Toolkit RETURNINGcareers in the trades, and also raisingprogram focuses on giving Grade 5 and 6 girls hands-on OCTOBER 13awareness about careers in the tradesexposure to the trades to illustrate their viability as a career option.with young peoplenot only at theDownload your Unlocking the Toolkit Activity Booklet today atsecondary school level, but in manymbwomeninconstruction.com/uttk-activity-booklet!cases at the primary school level. [The industry] has also been workingMBT EXHIBITION HALLhard with guidance counsellors andManitoba Building Trades is encouraging teachers toeducators as a whole to try and raisebook their next field trip at the new Manitoba Building OPEN NOW!their level of awareness. Were startingTrades Exhibition Hall. Students will circuit through 12 differentto see some of the fruits of that.construction trades booths, listening to journeyperson demonstrators speak Apart from increasing generalabout their career experiences before participating in an interactive activity.awareness of existing opportunities in the industry, its equally important toAPPRENTICESHIP MANITOBAcommunicate the sense of fulfillmentSOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN COMING SOON!that comes from working in the trades.According to Harrison, a member on the Apprenticeship andWe get direct feedback from manyCertification Board, the organization is launching a multi-year socialin the industry that they find workingmedia campaign to try to attract high school and middle school studentsin the trades intensely satisfying,to the ideas, concepts and opportunities that are available in the trades.concludes Ferreira, because they can point to [construction] that they actually contributed to, that will lastTOOLING UP TEENSmaybe as long as 100 years. A group of friends launched Tooling Up Teens in Manitoba to promote trades to teens in schools, on social media and on YouTube. Find the videos, featuring friends Noah and Cooper, on toolingupteens.ca. Building Relationships With WCA MembersWe represent clients from all parts of the construction industry in a broad range of construction related matters and projects both large and small.Visit our website to meet our team of Construction Lawyers.2200-201 Portage AveWinnipeg, Manitoba | R3B 3L3204.949.1312 | tmlawyers.comIssue 2 | Summer Edition | 2022 BUILD MANITOBA 25'