MANUFACTURING MEANS GOOD JOBS

MANUFACTURING MEANS GOOD JOBS

Manufacturing means good jobs. Over 130,000 Albertans are directly employed in high-wage, skilled manufacturing careers ranging from technical trades and software to engineers and customer service. Manufacturing also pays more than 7% higher than the industrial aggregate average. This doesn’t even include hundreds of thousands more in spinoff jobs.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

This election is a turning point for us. Regardless of who wins, it’s time to develop an Alberta manufacturing strategy that will give manufacturers the competitive edge needed to thrive in the years ahead.

We want skilled jobs created right here in Alberta and, we want to develop Albertans skills so they can get the job done better than anywhere else. Areas like computer science, robotics and artificial intelligence all present opportunities for Canadian to lead the world into the future.

Manufacturing creates these opportunities. By building a thriving manufacturing sector, we make sure our kids are able to put their education to work right here at home.

Here are 3 steps governments can take to help manufacturers hire more Albertans:

  1. Support CME members in expanding efforts to attract underrepresented groups to manufacturing through training and grant programs.
  2. Support manufacturers in encouraging Alberta’s education system to connect youth to manufacturing careers.
  3. Work with Alberta’s manufacturers to strengthen immigration programs to meet the labour market needs of industry.
  4. Collaborate with industry launch an “Alberta Made” campaign to promote local manufacturing and supply chains, in a manner that builds on the “Made in Alberta Labelling Program.”