Canada is facing a significant workforce shortage, especially in technology, health care, and the skilled trades. Nearly 700,000 skilled trades workers are projected to retire by 20281, which is intensifying the need to recruit and train the next generation.
In Ontario alone, one in six job openings is expected to be in the skilled trades in 20262, underscoring the urgency for schools and families to help students explore these high-demand pathways. Although there is a high demand for skilled trades workers, too few positions are being filled.
Did you know?
Most apprenticeships in Canada include paid, on-the-job training2.
The Current Landscape: Demand Meets Inequity
Though the sector is becoming more inclusive, the representation of equity-priority groups in nationally certified trades (Red Seal) remains below the overall workforce. For example,3:
- Women make up 14.8% of Canada’s Red Seal workforce compared with 48.2% of all occupations, and when service-sector trades are excluded, the share drops to 5.2%.
- Indigenous Peoples account for 5.3% of the Red Seal workforce; and
- 18.2% of Red Seal tradespeople identified as members of visible minorities in 2021—nearly 10 percentage points below their overall workforce share (26.8%).
As the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum notes,
“By prioritizing equity, we not only create opportunities for underrepresented groups but also address Canada’s skilled labour shortages, ensuring a sustainable and thriving future for the skilled trades.”
Cultural stigmas contribute to these gaps. Trades are too often perceived as “second choice” careers, and girls and racialized youth often receive fewer signals that these fields are for them. Teachers and parents can counter this narrative by intentionally broadening exposure, language, and role models.
Keeping Doors Open from Early Years to High School Career thinking starts early. When young children are offered gendered toys (e.g., tools and construction sets for boys; dolls and kitchen sets for girls), they internalize narrow ideas about “who does what.” Educators and families can keep doors open by encouraging all children to role-play a wide range of jobs as well as highlight the skills common to every trade.
In high school, enrolment patterns can also reinforce stereotypes. Ensuring that every student earns at least one tech-ed credit and understands the pathways to jobs in trades expands awareness and confidence, especially for students who might not otherwise consider these careers.
Skilled Trades and STEM: Turning Interest into Opportunity STEM education plays a critical role in preparing youth for careers in the skilled trades. Hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, and math helps students develop technical fluency, problem-solving skills, and digital literacy, which are increasingly required across the trades. Integrating STEM concepts in technological education (e.g., design challenges, robotics, etc.) bridges classroom learning with real-world applications and helps students develop the collaboration, safety, and communication skills employers value.
For teachers and families, fostering interest in STEM and skilled trades starts with exposure and encouragement. Teachers can do this by integrating STEM-rich projects into their classrooms, focusing on skill-building, and humanizing the trades.
Parents/carers can involve their children in practical tasks at home, encourage conversations with family and friends in the trades, and support their child’s course selection. By working together to promote equity and inclusion, educators and families can empower the next generation to pursue rewarding careers that strengthen both our workforce and our communities.
Conclusion
By leveraging STEM education to open pathways into the skilled trades, Canada can confront entrenched inequities, meet strategic labour needs, and build a forward-looking workforce that mirrors the diversity of our communities. When equity is prioritized from the classroom to the shop floor, more young people will see themselves thriving in the trades, and more communities will benefit from their talent.
To learn more, visit the STEM in Trades Featured Topic page.
We would also like to thank Emily Arrowsmith from the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum for her assistance with this article.
By: Kim Taylor, Staff Writer for Let’s Talk Science
References
- Government of Canada. (2024, Nov. 25). CIMM – Labour Shortages – Snapshot of Key Figures – November 25, 2024.
- Ontario Government. (Updated: April 04, 2025). Skilled trades.
- Canadian Apprenticeship Forum. (2023, Sept. 2023). The Demographics of the Skilled Trades Workforce in Canada: Insights from the 2021 Census.
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