The Opportunity Trade: Why Union Millwrights Are the Future of Canada’s Skilled Workforce
Executing a project requires careful coordination – and planning it outside a major urban hub can bring additional complexity. Just imagine the logistics involved in mobilizing a labour force for the large-scale liquid natural gas export facility in Kitimat, a community of about 8,000 situated within the sparsely populated area of northern British Columbia.
Access to talent is key to project success – and that’s where partnerships with unions can make a big difference, says Andrew Bredin, director of Communications & Public Affairs, Millwright Regional Council (MRC). “It doesn’t matter where your project is, whether it is in northern B.C., at the Port of Montreal or across the Prairies, we can get a skilled labour force there for you. The ability to deploy our millwrights to where they are needed is something we’re proud of.”
Composed of 12 affiliated local unions of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) across Canada, the MRC represents “millwrights from Quebec to British Columbia. We also work closely with the ACRC, (Atlantic Canada Regional Council of Carpenters, Millwrights and Allied Workers),” he notes. “We have thousands of skilled millwrights working on any given day. And across both councils, we have access to almost 10,000 across the country.”
Millwrights – also known as industrial mechanics – are progressive cross-trained construction and maintenance professionals, who install, maintain, diagnose and repair precision machinery. As these highly skilled tradespeople are vital partners in industries as diverse as energy, automotive, mining, aerospace, food processing, pharmaceuticals and more, Mr. Bredin says they play a key role in the well-being of their communities.
“For us, it’s important to work in and support the communities where we live, whether that’s through our contribution to infrastructure – such as power plants, refineries, distribution centres, or transportation – or by paying taxes,” he adds, “because that elevates the quality of life for everyone.”
From raising awareness of opportunities in skilled trades to a robust talent pipeline
The development and availability of a skilled labour force plays an important role in delivering projects and bolstering economic resilience, so Mr. Bredin regards it as “very unfortunate” when a perceived labour shortage in skilled trades causes hesitation in moving projects forward.
“One of our strengths as a union is that we can mobilize a large number of millwrights across the country,” he says. “This can instill confidence in contractors and owners that projects can be delivered safely and to a high level of quality standards but also on time and on budget.”
While other skilled trades professions may benefit from a boost in numbers, there currently is no shortage of MRC millwrights, mainly due to concerted efforts to strengthen the talent pipeline, Mr. Bredin says. For the past two decades it has been clear that with the number of journeymen ready to retire we would run the risk of creating a labour gap with dwindling apprenticeships and limited opportunities for journeymen to pass on their knowledge and skills. The question “where will the next generation of skilled tradespeople come from?” inspired decisive action that started with building awareness of the benefits of a millwright career, he recalls. “We needed to get the word out that the profession offers really good work, pays well and has exceptional benefits. People also develop a great skillset and have a chance to contribute to their community.”
Efforts of the MRC to build both recognition and capacity included outreach to governments, owners and contractors, he says. “We realized that creating more work opportunities required getting more projects off the ground. We worked hard on this – and sometimes had to fight to keep projects in Canada and in local communities.”
Other steps included securing government support for education and partnering with colleges and institutes for training delivery. After making “great strides in the last decade, the apprenticeship program for millwrights is very alive and well in Canada,” Mr. Bredin reports. “We have lineups for apprenticeships that include not only people coming out of high school but also those looking to change careers.”
These results can inspire a push for attracting talent to similar careers, he proposes. “When I came out of high school, I didn’t know about the skilled trades. Now, more people know that they can continue their education by learning a skilled trade. They can check out opportunities at trade shows, for example, or through provincial skills competitions.”
A trade ‘that’s open to anyone, anywhere’
In addition to raising awareness, a big part of the change came from “creating opportunity,” suggests Mr. Bredin. “If you’re living in a smaller community, you might not have heard of millwrighting, so pursuing this career wouldn’t cross your mind”.
“Our narrative is that we’re looking for the best millwrights – and we want to make sure we look everywhere. We want to give everyone a fair opportunity to join this union. We have training centres for millwrights across Canada, and we’ve gone to every corner of every province to wave a flag to say, “Check out this trade. It’s open to anyone, anywhere,'” he says. “If you’re qualified, if you have the right skills and show the right initiative, we’re here for you.”
Working with owners and contractors, the MRC has long advocated hiring local people for community-based projects. For a community-based talent pool as well as enhanced pathways to union membership, the MRC spearheaded an introduction to millwrighting (ITM) program that consists of four weeks of millwright skills training and two weeks of training in math, spatial reasoning and communication. At the end of the program – which is delivered in collaboration with local organizations, including Indigenous communities – participants complete an aptitude test that qualifies them for joining the union and starting an apprenticeship.
“This provides an open door, and we’ve seen great success, ” Mr. Bredin says. “We’re on our eighth ITM program in Ontario, and we’re starting in other provinces with the hope to expand it right across the country.”
While traditional training paths for millwrights vary from province to province, there are some common elements, including a focus on technical training, work-based training and general skills, such as analytical, mechanical and systemic aptitudes and resourcefulness. It is also a career that requires “continuous training, even after you attain the Red Seal certification,” he explains. “Technology and industry standards are always changing, so you need to stay up to date.”
Skilled tradespeople contribute to project success as well as long-term economic gains
The dedication to continuous training – reflected in a workforce with up-to-date skills as well as outstanding safety records – is part of the value proposition that allows MRC millwrights to make a significant contribution to project success, says Mr. Bredin. “And this is important, because when contractors and owners succeed, we succeed.”
“The work Andrew and our team are doing to build the future of the millwright trade is exactly what this union is about—creating access, raising standards, and delivering results,” says Millwright Regional Council EST Mark Beardsworth. “When we support Canadian contractors with skilled Canadian workers, everybody wins: the project, the workforce, and the community.”
In response to calls to make Canada stronger – and its economy more resilient, better outcomes can be achieved through strategies that prioritize long-term success over short-term measures like cost-cutting, he proposes. “We’ve seen that the narrative about a skilled labour shortage has been used to create loopholes where projects may go ahead with unqualified and underpaid workers instead of Canadian tradespeople.
While this might look better for short-term cash flow, it costs us all in the end,” Mr. Bredin says. “When qualified tradespeople are hired, especially for projects funded with taxpayers’ money – and when they are paid a living wage, this strengthens the Canadian tax base and translates to real improvements in the quality of life in our communities.”
About the Millwright Regional Council
The Millwright Regional Council (MRC) is composed of twelve affiliated Local Unions of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) across Canada. The UBC Millwrights are vital partners in diverse industries such as energy, automotive, aerospace, food processing, and pharmaceuticals. ubcmillwrights.ca
For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Bredin
Director of Communications
Millwright Regional Council
416-757-5161
abredin@ubcmillwrights.ca
