CWB calls for skilled professional expertise

The Canadian welding industry is facing a shortage of skilled welding professionals across the country. Labour market studies indicate there are far fewer welding professionals than are needed by manufacturers and construction companies. This gap will be even larger in the future as the baby boomer generation advances into the age of retirement, and this is expected to become critical in some industry segments and towns across our nation.

Two of the most crucial emerging challenges in the welding industry are finding ways to increase the number of Canada’s skilled trade professionals to compensate for the retirement of baby boomers, as well as increase the skill levels of the workforce for individuals required to fill in the jobs already available. According to the reports published by Rick Miner, in the People Without Jobs, Jobs Without People series, there is a very vital concern expressed over the shortage of skilled professionals, and one of the suggested solutions is to increase the size of the labour force population with more skilled workers. This could potentially include taking advantage of internationally trained trade workers as well as increasing participation rates in already existing apprenticeship programs across Canada.

In order to address these challenges, it is crucial that professional development resources are in place to not only help the local talent prosper, but to aid in the integration of new talent from diverse backgrounds that bring a different perspective to the workforce. It is with this idea in mind that the government of Canada is encouraging immigrants to apply as skilled workers to fill the gap that exists in the workforce, especially in the shipbuilding industry where the shortage is dire. The CWB Group is one of the organizations chosen to implement a new venture that will help immigrants transfer their skills and expertise to reflect the stringent Canadian standards.

Specifically, the CWB Group, acting as the national voice for the success of the welding industry, believes that it is imperative to zero in on the welding worker crisis. As an institution that is wholly committed to industry health and sustainability, it works diligently to support all those that work within it. The CWB is one of several non-governmental organizations that have been asked to implement such a program for skilled professions.

Government and industry organizations recognize that a skilled and flexible workforce is instrumental in today’s economy. In response to this growing need, many provinces are implementing programs to support the migration of skilled workers to Canada where all eligible workers under these programs have their credentials assessed and validated as one of the many criteria to work in their chosen trade. The need for skilled workers is nation-wide, and the fact that it is being recognized by the government is a very positive step in the right direction. The logistics of the credential assessment initiative are overseen by the federal government’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP) and administered by several non-governmental agencies across Canada, including the CWB Group.

The CWB Group Newcomer Welding Professional Credential Assessment is funded by the government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program for the next two years. The program will enable CWB Group to build and offer services to help internationally trained welders, supervisors, inspectors, educators, technologists, and engineers with securing appropriate credential recognition and bridge-to-licensure. Interested welding professionals will receive expert guidance on how their skills, qualifications, and credentials align with Canadian and provincial requirements and what other conditions need to be satisfied. Furthermore, immigration candidates will learn about the best employment opportunities based on their skills and expertise.

• Market assessment of provincial/territorial requirements for qualifications, certification, and licensing processes.
•  An interactive bilingual national web portal that will provide information and guidance to users on how to become licensed, as well as the ability to map applicants’ current competencies to those required by various Canadian jurisdictions. Additional features include the ability to connect users to service providers and potential employers.
•  Evidence-based information on current demands, needs, and trends among welding professionals by collecting, sharing, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data throughout the project.

Furthermore, in support of this initiative, an advisory group has been put in place which will provide non-binding strategic advice and assistance in the implementation of this program. We are seeking the expertise of individuals and/or organizations from diverse backgrounds including members of the Canadian welding industry, settlement agencies, immigrants employed within the Canadian welding sector, employers/union representatives, and other individuals who may be interested and can offer their expertise by joining this initiative. Please contact us if you are interested in participating in this committee.

CWB Group, along with other participating organizations, is committed to helping improve existing assessment and recognition programs to attract the best talents to address Canada’s welding-related skill shortages. The goal is to ensure that newcomers who bring welding related skills to Canada can employ their skills and experience into the Canadian market while contributing to the Canadian economy.

Husam Mansour is the program director of Newcomer Welding Professional Credential Assessment Program at CWB Group, 8260 Parkhill Drive, Milton, ON L9T 5V7, 800-844-6790, Ext. #267, Husam.Mansour@cwbgroup.org.