Business leaders, HR professionals, developers, savvy start-up innovators, workplaces, various industry sectors and even academia are reviewing and re-thinking the relevance and value of conventional degrees and diplomas.
While MBAs, BComs, BBAs, engineering, accounting, computer sciences, economics, business and healthcare management degrees are still valuable prerequisites for career planning and job searching, there is a definite credentials shift happening.
It’s good riddance to the stale and dated hang-ups and glamor/grunt stereotypes about blue collar vs. white collar. The workplace continues to transform. Continuing education (CE) programs and apprenticeships are very much in demand.
In Edmonton, CE programs and courses reflect the new and updated focus of contemporary careers. Also in Edmonton, and throughout Canada, in construction and other industry sectors, there is an urgent skilled trades crunch, boosting the need, importance and value of apprenticeships.
CE
“Our most in-demand programs are those aligned with the current job markets within Alberta,” says Tracy Topolnitsky, vice dean of the Faculty of Business, Environment, and Technology at NorQuest College. “The demand is split between full-time, year-long certificate programs that include work placements for individuals entering brand new careers, and shorter industry specific and career-driven short courses and micro credentials that enable current employees to upskill or enhance their skills in specific programs.”
Many organizations now partner with NorQuest as their exclusive provider for leadership training, while others collaborate to develop tailored content aimed at bridging leadership skills gaps within their sectors.
“This shift is driven by organizations’ need for leaders with highly relevant, practical skills that can immediately impact their teams and overall business,” she says. “Valuable skills like leadership, strategic management, effective communication, critical thinking, adaptability, project management and interpersonal skills.”
When it comes to popular continuing education programs and courses at MacEwan University, the most in-demand full-time programs are project management, business analysis and supply chain management. The most popular part-time programs are leadership, project management, bookkeeping and accounting and management and supervision.
“In the last few years, we have seen a strong demand for leadership and management focused courses,” notes Dr. Lisa Rochman, dean, and professor at the MacEwan School of Continuing Education. “There are a lot of reasons. The workforce has transformed significantly in the past five years and people need to communicate, engage and lead in new ways. Advances in technology have also significantly impacted how people lead today.”
She mentions continued Edmonton demand for programs like executive assistant, bookkeeping and accounting, “Job ready skills that are needed in our workforce today; we are also noticing increased demand in project management. This is partially because the skills learned in the project management courses are transferable – skills like working with stakeholders, scheduling and time management, budgeting, team communication, organization, risk management, problem solving and leadership.”
Dr. Rochman is enthusiastic that the popularity of continuing education programs and courses is a reflection of people choosing to invest in themselves to improve their skills, their job-readiness and their work.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship training is hot! That is not only the sentiment from the construction sector but also manufacturing, energy and other industry sectors.
The increased demands vs. the shriveled availability of carpenters, roofers, electricians and plumbers is causing a worrisome skilled trades crunch for developers and homebuilders.
Consultants say the construction shortages are only the tip of the trades crunch iceberg. Other industries also have concerns about the mounting shortages of pipefitters, gas fitters, millwrights and the demand for what is referred to as “the new skilled trades” – digital skills to read blueprints on digital devices; software skills to use computerized equipment; programming skills to run programmable logic controllers and information management skills to collect information on products, source new products and monitor product usage.
“There are some key reasons for skilled trade shortages,” notes Kassie Burkholder, executive director of Corporate and Continuing Education at NAIT. “We see a lack of awareness about the career opportunities and benefits that trades offer. Fewer young people are entering the trades and rapid technological advancements, in sectors like construction and energy are also widening the skills gap, which existing workers often struggle to fill without additional training.”
She explains that, “The construction industry, the energy sector (particularly renewable energy), and manufacturing are among the most impacted by skilled trade shortages. The push towards net-zero goals is driving demand for trades like electricians, welders and heavy equipment operators, among others.”
Bill Ferreira, executive director of BuildForce Canada, champions the wants and needs and the ups and downs of the construction sector.
“Alberta construction is experiencing continued growth. The demand for skilled trades is being driven by a significant volume of non-residential projects, including industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) building construction. At the same time, Alberta benefits from its relatively young population and strong migration trends, which support workforce growth.
“But filling roles in certain specialized trades remains challenging. This is partly due to the retirement of experienced workers and the time-intensive nature of training and certifying new tradespeople. By 2033, 42,500 construction workers are expected to retire, representing 23 per cent of the current workforce,” he warns.
Joe McFadyen, president of the Construction Labour Relations Alberta is high energy about the urgency of the construction trades crunch and the need for apprenticeship training.
“Many factors contribute to the shortage of skilled trades workers in Alberta, but the most significant is retirement. We are trying to match that pace by educating and training new apprentices and by attracting people to keep up with current demand and upcoming major construction projects.
“We also see room for improvement in matching the education and training of new Canadians with the skills our construction industry is demanding. Attracting young people to our industry and creating opportunities to improve understanding of the rewards and value offered in trade careers are both essential components of addressing the skilled trades shortage.”
It’s a consensus. The skilled trades shortage is the problem. Apprenticeships are proving to be the solution.
According to Liana Brault, spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada, due to record high job vacancies in many sectors, new registrations for apprenticeship programs are surging and surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
It seems to make a positive difference, especially in the Edmonton area. According to StatsCan numbers in Alberta, vacancies for the skilled trades were 33 per cent lower in 2024, compared to 2023. In Edmonton, vacancies for skilled trades declined by 62 per cent, year over year.
Brault highlights that Edmonton skilled trades, which experienced the biggest drop in vacancies, included transport truck drivers, welders and related machine operators, construction trades and labourers. The negative tracking shows that vacancies more than doubled for steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers.
The new year looks encouraging for the popularity of apprenticeship training in Edmonton.
“In 2025, the demand for skilled tradespeople in Alberta will continue to grow, particularly due to infrastructure expansion, economic recovery and the shift toward green energy projects,” Burkholder says.
StatsCan, business and association leaders and academics agree. Demand for tradespeople is expected to remain strong. Responding to demographic changes and an increasingly ageing labour force by developing the next generation of skilled trades workers is crucial.
