The Alberta government is injecting an additional $300,000 into a hands-on skilled trades program at the TELUS Spark Science Centre to help combat an aging workforce and connect youth with careers in the sector.
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The funding will support BLUprint, an interactive learning initiative, through 2027. The provincial investment builds on more than $880,000 previously provided in 2024 to launch the program’s initial phases.
Advanced education minister Myles McDougall said the investment is vital for the province’s economic future.
“Young Albertans deserve to know that the trades offer rewarding, well-paying careers,” McDougall said. “Our partnership with TELUS Spark Science Centre is an investment in making sure they do.”
A joint initiative between Spark and the Calgary Construction Association, BLUprint links skilled trades with STEAM education. The program features outdoor activities, virtual reality simulators and hands-on learning exhibits.
The financial boost arrives as Canada faces a looming labor shortage in the sector.
Employment and Social Development Canada expects roughly 700,000 of the country’s four million trades workers to retire by 2030. Jobs, economy, trade and immigration Minister Joseph Schow said the program gives youth a head start on long-term career opportunities.
“A job in skilled trades is a job that puts food on the table and a roof over a head,” Schow said.
Since its launch in June 2024, the BLUprint program has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors, including 40,000 students. Its permanent indoor exhibit, the New Builder gallery, opened in June 2025.
TELUS Spark president and CEO Guy Labine said the funding ensures the facility can continue creating experiences that build curiosity about the industry.
“Audiences get immersed with hands-on experiences in skilled trades activities,” Labine said, adding that visitors also “learn how much STEAM is incorporated into every aspect of the industry.”
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