Ontario Masonry Contractors’ Association plans new training centre at Conestoga College
The Ontario Masonry Contractors’ Association teamed up with industry leaders and Conestoga College in Kitchener to build a $2.5 million training centre.
Like so many building trades, the field of masonry is facing a dire shortage of skilled workers in Ontario. Just look at the statistics.
To keep pace with demands, the Construction Sector Council forecasts Ontario needs 200 to 220 new bricklayers annually for the next seven years.
Too few new workers are staying in the field and nearly 17 per cent of bricklayers were at least 55 years old, according to a 2004 study by Prism Economics.
So what carrot does the industry need to entice more bodies into the business of bricklaying and associated masonry work?
The Ontario Masonry Contractors’ Association (OMCA) decided that building a top-notch training centre was a good place to start.
