Resource sector trades have opportunities aplenty
All skills in demand to fill jobs in extraction, service operations
There’s no shortage of skilled trade jobs in an economy where the resource industry is booming and employers are looking for able-bodied individuals to do everything from equipment repair to electrical and carpentry work.
Twenty-one-year-old-bradley Macintosh in Edmonton is one of many apprentices whose training will serve him in good stead in a growing economy. Currently apprenticing as a heavy equipment technician for SMS Equipment, he says he likes the idea of working on the “big stuff ” like crawlers, excavators and bulldozers.
“My automotive teacher in high school got me interested in the field when he took the class on some tours to heavy-equipment shops in the city,” he says.
Having grown up on a farm, he’s used to fixing larger equipment. no win his second apprenticeship year, he still enjoys the hands-on and troubleshooting parts of his work. “You’re also learning to deal with pressure and timelines, and keeping up with the newest models all the time.”
When he’s finished, MacIntosh says there’s no limit to where it can take him. “I may just tour around Alberta and try out the oil and gas industry or start my own business,” he says. “There’s definitely enough work to keep me going.”
Employment is never much of a problem for someone with Macintosh’s skills. Much of the growth in jobs in the oil and gas sector for example is in the skilled trades, reports Rick Davidson, group lead, recruitment for Cenovus Energy in Calgary. “There are a huge number of job opportunities in existing communities and new ones. I’d say at least half of the positions within our company are skilled trades.”
The laundry list of potential careers at Cenovus is a lengthy one, Davidson notes.
“The industry needs mechanics, electricians, instrument technicians, heavy equipment operators, millwrights, pipefitters and insulators – all of the skills required to get a facility built and operating. Many of those positions require some sort of certification or journeyman status.”
Cenovus is not alone in its skilled trades requirements. A recent report from the Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada says the oil and gas industry will need to fill at least 9,500 jobs by 2015. The Top 10 list of greatest labour shortages includes operators, non-steam ticketed operators, truck drivers, millwrights and machinists, heavy equipment operators and welders.
It’s not just about filling quotas, however. The industry has a lot to offer from a career perspective, Davidson says.
“It’s a progressive and growth-oriented industry that offers lots of opportunities for someone to develop their career. Many of these projects are long-term, so people can settle down and raise families and enjoy living in world-class facilities.”
Many of the roles are as much about problem solving as heavy lifting, he adds.
“These definitely aren’t the kind of jobs where you just show up, put your time in and go home. A lot of these people have to take work done by engineering teams and translate them into something that can be done. They really require people to think outside the box and show initiative.”
Apprenticeship programs help to build the talent pool. “The opportunities aren’t just through companies like ours. Skilled trades can also work through companies that service us.”