Quebec launches construction training offensive for high demand trades

The Quebec government is launching a construction training offensive aimed at training between 4,000 and 5,000 additional people so that they can occupy trades in high demand on construction sites, namely carpenters. carpenter, excavator operator, heavy equipment operator, tinsmith, refrigeration engineer, electrician and pipe fitter.

Short-term training (certificates of professional studies), ranging from four to six months, to become a carpenter, excavator operator, heavy equipment operator, tinsmith and refrigeration engineer , were thus created. Support of $750 per week will be offered to students during their course. This is an exceptional and one-off measure.

“I am very proud to announce this major construction training offensive,” said Quebec Premier François Legault. “We have ambitious projects to meet the needs of Quebecers, such as housing, schools and sports infrastructures, and it takes people to build all of that. If we want to reduce the labor deficit with qualified workers, we must go through training and make it more attractive. We want to increase the number of people trained and offer them short training courses so that they are ready to enter construction sites in the summer of 2024. This represents a significant investment of $300 million. We have already succeeded in bringing in health reinforcements, and I am confident that we will be able to repeat this success in construction. We will have more qualified professionals to carry out the projects that Quebec needs.”

People who have not been studying for at least one year and who meet the general admission conditions for study programs leading to these professions can register now, online. Training will begin in January 2024. It will be possible to register until December 15.

“The Construction Training Offensive will allow us to train between 4,000 and 5,000 people in professions in high demand. These are attractive measures that we are putting in place to carry out a training blitz! Construction is a sector that offers stimulating careers that make it possible to build the Quebec of today and that of future generations. I invite Quebecers to register for these short-term training courses by December 15,” said Kateri Champagne Jourdain, Minister of Employment.

People who will register, by December 15, 2023, in a program leading to a vocational studies diploma (DEP) to become a carpenter, excavator operator, shovel operator, heavy equipment, tinsmith and refrigeration engineer could obtain, under certain conditions, a scholarship ranging from $9,000 to $15,000 upon graduation. The same goes for those who will undertake these same training courses in November and December 2023.

In addition, the reception capacity of the DEP Electricity and Plumbing and Heating, two training courses for which there are currently waiting lists, will also be increased from January.

An investment of $300 million is planned to carry out this offensive.

“The training courses we are announcing today will provide a fast route to robust and relevant training in essential trades for the construction sector. I would like to salute the rapid response of the education network and the efforts made by all the stakeholders concerned to implement these new essential training courses for the Quebec economy,” said Bernard Drainville, Minister of Education.

Featured image: (Government of Quebec)