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Trades Advocate: Culture, Not Just Training, Solves Worker Shortage

Master Electrician Tania-Joy Bartlett highlights how respectful worksite culture is key to solving Canada's skilled trades shortage and improving safety.

This news matters because it addresses a dual crisis: Canada's severe shortage of skilled tradespeople and the pervasive issue of poor workplace culture in high-risk industries. For the average person, this impacts the reliability and safety of essential infrastructure—from the electricity in homes to the roads they drive on—as workforce instability can lead to project delays, increased costs, and potential safety compromises. Furthermore, it highlights a systemic barrier to career paths for younger generations; if trades are perceived as disrespectful or unsafe environments, it perpetuates the labor gap and limits economic opportunities. Bartlett's focus on cultural change offers a practical, human-centered solution that benefits workers through safer conditions and better retention, while ensuring communities have access to the skilled labor needed to maintain and grow vital services.