There are 1.5 million people working in the Canadian construction industry today and half of them are expected to retire within a decade. Over that same time, demand for construction services is forecasted to double in response to population growth, clean energy transition, and the infrastructure deficit. When asked if a career in construction excited them, only 7% of high school students answered yes.
There is no question our industry is facing an unprecedented labour crisis. How did we get here and what might we do to address this challenge? Research demonstrates that automaton doesn’t eliminate jobs, it changes the nature of the work. Gen Z is now entering the workplace, what do they want to see in an employer and how might we respond? We will explore potential solutions to these challenges.
Tim Coldwell is a husband, dad and indigenous entrepreneur focused on leading by serving, culture, and the monetization of ideas. He serves as President of Chandos, an employee owned national technical builder that is leading change in the Canadian construction industry. Chandos is proud to be the first/largest B-Corp certified commercial general contractor in North America. Tim believes that business can generate economic value in a way that also produces value for society by addressing its challenges.
Under Tim’s leadership, Chandos has forged partnerships with social enterprises across Canada focusing on employment of at-risk youth and those who are under-represented in the construction industry. Tim is an advisor to San Francisco’s Center for Innovation in the Design & Construction Industry (CIDCI) and the past board chair of the Integrated Project Delivery Alliance (IPDA). He has been named a Top 40 Under 40 and is an alumnus of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.
There are 1.5 million people working in the Canadian construction industry today and half of them are expected to retire within a decade. Over that same time, demand for construction services is forecasted to double in response to population growth, clean energy transition, and the infrastructure deficit. When asked if a career in construction excited them, only 7% of high school students answered yes.
There is no question our industry is facing an unprecedented labour crisis. How did we get here and what might we do to address this challenge? Research demonstrates that automaton doesn’t eliminate jobs, it changes the nature of the work. Gen Z is now entering the workplace, what do they want to see in an employer and how might we respond? We will explore potential solutions to these challenges.
