The addition of accelerated and paid construction training announced in the Girard budget represents a golden opportunity for workers wishing to return to school while balancing work and family.
“I was looking for a job, I didn’t really know where I was going,” says Kathleen Beauséjour. When they called me to tell me I was selected, I was really happy, I couldn’t wait.”
The mother is part of the first Montreal cohort of short-term, paid training in carpentry and joinery announced by Quebec in the fall. 110 people out of 1500 were selected.
Kathleen Beauséjour is part of the first cohort of accelerated training in carpentry and joinery at the Montreal School of Construction Trades, on Tuesday March 19, 2024. MARIE-LAURENCE DELAINEY/AGENCE QMI
MARIE-LAURENCE DELAINEY/AGENCE QMI
The government launched the initiative across the province to quickly train workers to meet labor needs in the industry. Four shortened training courses were targeted: carpentry, driving construction equipment, tinsmithing and refrigeration. In his budget last week, the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, announced the addition of a second cohort in carpentry and joinery to meet strong demand.
Paid to go to school
The accelerated training in carpentry lasts approximately six months and leads to obtaining a certificate of professional studies. During this period, participants receive remuneration of $750 per week. It also saves time since it is twice as short as the usual program leading to a professional studies diploma (DEP) in carpentry and joinery.
If stakeholders in the education sector fear that this will harm registrations in DEP programs, for student Samuel Bédard, short-term training represents a logical choice.
Samuel Bédard is part of the first cohort of accelerated training in carpentry-joinery at the Montreal School of Construction Trades, on Tuesday March 19, 2024. MARIE-LAURENCE DELAINEY/AGENCE QMI
MARIE-LAURENCE DELAINEY/AGENCE QMI
“We cannot go through a school year with a summer break, the Christmas break. There is something that means that financially it does not work. There [formation accélérée en] construction, you start early in the morning, you finish in the afternoon, it’s really suitable… We see exactly what’s in the DEP, in a short period of time. It’s certain that it goes very, very quickly, it’s not for everyone,” explains Mr. Bédard, also the father of a two-year-old boy.
Students “expected” on construction sites
But if there is no guarantee that graduates will actually be on construction sites at the end of the program, the director of the Montreal School of Construction Trades, Manon Moreau, recalls that the needs of the industry are pressing. There is a shortage of more than 12,000 workers, according to the Quebec Construction Association.
“[Les élèves] are expected on construction sites. We know that we have schools under construction, hospitals under renovation, we know that we also have roads. These people will be able to help with the construction and renovation of all these buildings.”
Nearly 4,600 people registered in the programs of the first cohort. It is still too early to know the number of students who will be accepted for the second year.