Tip of the hat to DeWalt and Humber College for their efforts in addressing skilled trades worker shortages through scholarships and tool donations!
Tip the hat to DeWalt tools and Ontario’s Humber College for addressing the shortage of skilled trades workers. In recent years, there has been a growing concern over the shortage of skilled trades workers in Canada. This shortage is expected to increase in the coming years due to the aging workforce, which is expected to retire in the near future.
To address this shortage, DeWalt, a manufacturer of power tools, is partnering with Humber College’s Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology to provide scholarships, tools, and training programs. DeWalt is establishing the DeWalt Pathways to the Trades scholarships, awarded annually to two students. In addition, emergency bursaries will be available to support students in need.
The gift from DeWalt will also supplement the center’s tool collection, providing students with the tools they require for their profession once they graduate. The brand is proud to work with Humber to provide financial support for training, scholarships, tools, and equipment. DeWalt believes it is important to work with programs such as those offered by Humber to help ensure that Canada’s young tradespeople have the training and tools they need for future success.
Michael Auchincloss, associate dean of the school’s faculty of applied sciences and technology, said, “Thanks to the generosity of DeWalt, our students will be trained on the tools used on job sites and will also supplement their toolkits with the additional tools their careers require. DeWalt’s investment in the Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology will help Humber train the next generation of skilled workers and continue to help fill the skilled trades gap.”
DeWalt’s gift is part of Humber’s Unlimited Campaign, a comprehensive fundraising campaign to equip students with the wealth of skills and knowledge needed to succeed as leaders and innovators. The campaign recently surpassed its original $50-million goal, with DeWalt’s gift helping to fund product awards, center initiatives, and student support, including funding for pre-apprentice and pathways to the skilled trades programs.
Through the partnership, DeWalt will provide brand ambassadors to appear at Humber events and support Humber’s efforts and activities to recruit the next generation of skilled trades professionals and narrow the skills gap. With Humber, DeWalt is also committed to encouraging women and those from equity-deserving groups to consider the trades as a possible career. The partnership between DeWalt and Humber is helping to address the shortage of skilled trades workers and promoting diversity and inclusion within the trades.
According to the Conference Board of Canada, Canada is facing a shortfall of skilled trades workers, with an estimated 250,000 positions needing to be filled by 2025. This shortage is expected to impact various industries, from construction to manufacturing, and highlights the importance of initiatives such as the DeWalt Pathways to the Trades scholarships.
The scholarships are open to students in Humber’s skilled trades programs, which offer tuition-free initiatives to bring new individuals into the trades, regardless of experience or education. These programs are critical in providing opportunities for individuals to gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the trades. DeWalt’s support will help ensure students have the tools and resources to excel.
The shortage of skilled trades workers is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach. While initiatives such as the DeWalt Pathways to the Trades scholarships are important in providing opportunities for students, more needs to be done to encourage individuals to pursue careers in the trades. This includes increasing awareness of the diverse range of careers available within the trades, promoting the benefits of these careers, and addressing the misconceptions that may deter individuals from pursuing them.
Bottom line, DeWalt’s partnership with Humber College’s Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology is an excellent example of how the private sector can work with educational institutions to address critical issues such as the shortage of skilled workers. The DeWalt Pathways to the Trades scholarships, tool donations, and training programs will help to equip the next generation of skilled workers with the skills, knowledge, and tools they need to succeed. This partnership is not only helping to address the skills gap. Still, it also promotes diversity and inclusion within the trades and encourages more individuals to pursue careers in this important sector.
As the shortage of skilled trades workers continues to be a pressing issue, more initiatives like this must be developed to provide opportunities for individuals to gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the trades. The private sector has an important role in supporting these initiatives. DeWalt’s partnership with Humber College is an excellent example of how the private sector can work with educational institutions to make a difference.
