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EDMONTON — Alberta is investing $4 million in a pilot project aimed at helping skilled trades workers earn certifications faster while remaining on the job, as the province looks to address labour shortages tied to major industrial and infrastructure projects.
The two-year initiative, announced Wednesday, will be delivered in partnership with the Christian Labour Association of Canada and Canadian training provider Built To Learn.
The program will use an adaptive learning platform designed to assess a worker’s existing knowledge and focus training on areas where additional learning is needed. Officials say the approach allows participants to complete certification preparation more efficiently without reducing certification standards.
The province says the pilot will support at least 200 workers in high-demand trades including welding, steamfitter-pipefitting, instrumentation and ironworking.
Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Minister Joseph Schow said Alberta’s growing economy continues to increase demand for skilled labour.
“One of Alberta’s biggest strengths is our workforce. With new investment comes new demand for skilled workers to build the projects that choose Alberta,” Schow said.
“This program builds up our existing workforce and puts us even further ahead by partnering government with industry, delivering real economic results and benefit to Albertans.”
The government says the pilot is intended to help experienced trades workers prepare for certification and Red Seal examinations without requiring them to leave the workforce for extended periods of training.
Advanced Education Minister Myles McDougall said Alberta needs to accelerate the certification process while maintaining existing standards.
“Alberta needs more certified trades professionals, and we need them faster,” McDougall said.
“This investment helps experienced workers build their skills, earn their credentials sooner, and get to work on the projects driving our economy forward.”
The program will operate through Alberta’s existing Trades Qualifier Program and will not create new testing requirements or alter certification and Red Seal standards.
CLAC, which represents approximately 24,000 workers in Alberta, primarily in heavy industrial construction and maintenance, says the initiative could help reduce barriers faced by experienced workers seeking certification.
“Our members are skilled, committed and ready to be part of the solution to Canada’s growing skilled trades shortage, but too often they face barriers that slow their progress,” said Dennis Perrin, CLAC’s provincial director for Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The announcement comes as Alberta continues to promote large-scale energy, industrial and infrastructure projects expected to require thousands of additional skilled trades workers in the coming years.
Built To Learn CEO Jason Bakalech said the technology is intended to complement, rather than replace, traditional apprenticeship and training systems.
“For decades, skilled labour shortages have challenged government, industry, labour organizations and educators alike,” Bakalech said.
“What makes this initiative so significant is that these groups have come together around a common objective: building a stronger, more sustainable workforce.”
The one-time grant runs until March 2028 and could help inform future efforts to expand trades certification preparation programs across Alberta.
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