The annual open house at Point Hope Maritime on Sunday, being billed as a family-friendly way of celebrating Father’s Day while giving dad a taste of a working shipyard, is doubling up as a means of drawing new faces and talent into the world of industrial construction.
With a protracted labour shortage still hanging over all economic sectors, the labour-intensive industrial and construction sectors are using all options to get the word out about the opportunities available in places like Point Hope Maritime.
That’s why the shipyard, which is part of the Ralmax Group of industrial companies, is the landscape for the job fair, which will sit alongside entertainment, artists, exhibits and tours available to the public.
“Right now everyone is hiring,” said Dave Bukovec, general manager of Ralmax’s United Engineering, which has worksites in Sidney and on the water at Point Hope.
Bukovec said the job fair, which will feature representatives from all the Ralmax companies including Chew Excavating and Trio Ready Mix, is part of a suite of initiatives that includes working with colleges and high schools and using traditional advertising to highlight the career opportunities available.
He said workshops all over the Island have more than enough work on their plates, which makes it difficult to pick up skilled trades here and there when an extra hand is needed.
The result is some firms are trying not to bite off more than they can chew.
“Everyone is looking for people. We’re choosing to maybe not bid on everything that’s out there because we don’t want to get caught short,” he said. “You know that old saying, ‘over promise and under deliver.’ ”
It’s a story being played out across the province and the country.
In its annual industry survey, the B.C. Construction Association noted a shortage of workers at every skill level remains the most pressing thing facing their industry, with 80 per cent of employers saying that’s the issue that keeps them up at night.
The association said many employers are turning down good projects simply because they can’t get the people they need.
The industry anticipates it will have more than 27,000 job openings in the next five years, and that more than 5,600 will go unfilled.
“Like many other sectors, construction is struggling to attract new people to our ranks,” said Rory Kulmala, chief executive of the Vancouver Island Construction Association.
“Our members are pulling out all stops to attract workers. They are making considerable investments to not only retain their existing workforce but also to attract new workers by offering high wages, great benefits and growth opportunities. From billboards to job site signs, social media and employment agencies, construction companies are utilizing any and all channels to find workers.”
The B.C. Construction Association survey noted that despite $134 billion in project spending in the province, the number of employees in construction dropped by nine per cent to 171,470 since the onset of the pandemic.
In an attempt to combat that and attract more people, wages in the industry have increased substantially. Wages up are eight per cent since 2019 to an average salary of $66,591.
But wages aren’t everything.
Bukovec said to attract and retain good people you need the “complete package” that includes competitive wages, ability to grow and develop in the job, a variety of interesting work and some workplace flexibility.
He said United and Ralmax’s other companies try to do that by focusing on developing young talent and supporting apprenticeships.
“It takes longer but we tend to retain those people, they become invested in the company and the community,” he said. “We’re playing the long game where we’re looking to train our way out of this.”
That strategy appealed to Brian Selema, who 14 years after being hired as a general labourer at Point Hope is now a project manager at the firm.
“I started at the very bottom and worked my way up,” he said, noting it wasn’t long before hard work doing whatever needed doing paid off with the chance to develop new skills and eventually start an apprenticeship.
“There was just a lot of opportunity, everywhere I looked there was a different trade here.” He eventually achieved his Red Seal painter’s ticket.
Selema said companies that offer variety and a chance for professional development are more likely to land new recruits.
Kyla McCormick, who joined United Engineering 15 years ago as a young apprentice and is now the fabrication shop supervisor at Point Hope, said she stuck around because there was a broad range of projects and never a dull day.
She admits she had no idea she would still be with the same firm 15 years later, but that variety of work and professional development keeps things fresh.
“Since I’ve been here this place has grown so much,” she said. “And it’s a good paying job and you’ve got something to show for it at the end of the day.”
Sunday’s open house at Point Hope, 345 Harbour Rd., runs from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
