This year’s bi-provincial Try-A-Trade will be held on April 30 at the Lloyd Ex. A year ago, Jackson Dooker, a Grade 10 student from Provost Public School, learned how to make a butt fusion from County of Vermilion River pros. Source File Photo
See some trades in action, chat with tradespeople to learn how they started their careers and meet with prospective employees.
That, in a nutshell, is the game plan for youth and visitors at this year’s bi-provincial Try-A-Trade set to roll into Lloyd Ex for the 12th edition on April 30.
“The purpose of it is to promote the trades to youth and the general public,” said executive director of the Lloydminster Construction Association, Dorothy Carson who heads the event organization.
Schools from Saskatchewan and Alberta are expected to bus up to 2,000 students to Lloydminster and roll up their sleeves for some hands-on demos.
“We’ve got a lot of new exhibitors joining us,” said Carson.
She says that based on demand last year for agricultural and automotive exhibitors, Silverwood Toyota and Agland are jumping on board this year to talk about the trades in their industries.
Try-A-Trade features careers in 51 designated trades that motivate students and exhibitors to take part each year.
“People are looking at the trades as a first-choice career and they are just seeing the value in the trades,” said Carson.
She says there’s a lot of school divisions on the committee that are promoting the trades to their youth within the school system which drives interest in Try-A-Trade itself.
“The schools and provincial governments are looking forward to promoting the trades,” said Carson.
As usual, Lakeland College will demonstrate some of the trades they teach apprentices in such as carpentry, welding and hairdressing.
The mix of exhibitors will include a booth from the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta.
“There’s a few old ones that are coming back and a few new ones that are going to be with us for the first time,” said Carson.
Meanwhile, Carson says her local LCA members are busy and are looking to a busy spring and summer construction season.
She was at the Regional Job Fair held last Thursday at Gold Horse Casino in partnership with the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce with a lot of jobseekers and employers on hand.
“Speaking with a number of members, their first priority is to find employees,” said Carson.
“They are short, it’s been a challenge, but they’ve been able to find enough trade workers to keep their work going.”
