Helmets to Hardhats program to help current, former soldiers
Canadians with military credentials and an interest in the construction industry could soon snag jobs with help from a new training initiative.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper stopped in Edmonton Friday to announce $150,000 in federal support for the Helmets to Hardhats program, a partnership co-ordinated with building trades unions and the private-sector. The federal contribution will help promote the program, which is expected to launch in the spring.
In front of an audience of soldiers, dignitaries and union members gathered at the Boilermaker Training Facility in northwest Edmonton, Harper said the building trades are a “natural fit” for many former military members.
“If you can drive a tank, why not drive a bulldozer. If you can drive a LAV, why not drive a Kenworth. Forklifts work the same everywhere and so do backhoes,” Harper said. “In terms of transitions, Helmets to Hard hats will be a natural fit for many military veterans, allowing them to take advantage of a new set of civilian opportunities that build on the set of skills they acquired while in uniform.”
The Canadian program will give veterans, reservists and current soldiers priority access to jobs and training opportunities in the trades.
The Harper government previously indicated its support for Helmets to Hardhats in the federal budget.
Alberta’s advanced education minister also announced a matching $150,000 grant for the program on Friday.
Several soldiers on hand Friday praised the Helmets to Hardhats initiative. One of the biggest benefits of this program is that it will help make the path clear for those who have already made the decision to leave the military, said Ferguson, whose army career included an eight-month deployment in Afghanistan.
Much of the program will be funded through the unions and the private sector. Pipeline giant Transcanada Corporation, for example, committed $1 million over five years.