Career Progression Model for the Skilled Trades

The essential skilled trades sector is experiencing a shrinking labour pool as its current pool of workers retire with a shrinking younger cohort willing to take over. While a smaller younger labour pool—as a direct consequence of falling fertility rates—offers a partial explanation, the other reason revolves around the negative stereotypes that accompany jobs in the sector, discouraging new entrants. To improve the sector, the Labour Movement has mooted a “Career Progression Model” for the skilled trades. This paper presents an exploratory review of pertinent country examples and proposes key elements for this model.