Where have all Barrhead’s skilled workers gone?
It is a question that needs addressing as the town seeks to maintain a robust economic base – the cornerstone for a healthy future.
News last week that some local companies are searching overseas for suitable employees is concerning to anyone with Barrhead’s best interests at heart. These reports suggest we are not producing enough people with the right skills or the right work ethic.
In a letter to the Barrhead and District Chamber of Commerce, vice president Dave Sawatzky says members are concerned about the difficulty of recruiting young, local, quality workers willing to learn a trade.
The lack of skilled young workers graduating from high school is costing the local business community money in lost opportunities and sales, he says.
Sawatzky adds that there must be a partnership between the high school, the business community and the Chamber, so that opportunities can be created for our youth.
It appears that several challenges must be addressed for such a partnership to be successful.
One of them is the financial expectations of school leavers. Many in Alberta see the oil patch as the route to bumper paycheques, not an apprenticeship in welding or plumbing.
It is imperative, therefore, that the benefits of learning a trade are properly sold to young people. Students need to be encouraged, energized and excited.
It is also important that students with an aptitude for a trade should be identified early.Matching the needs of business with those of education is a commonsense move that could secure Barrhead’s future.
