Thrive PEC, an initiative of The County Foundation, Prince Edward County, and Community Futures — has received funding through the Rural Economic Development (RED) matched-grant program to support construction skills development.

Facilitated at the Prince Edward Learning Centre (PELC), the skills development and placement program fills an urgent demand in the building trades sector — and puts successful candidates on a path to a well-paid, in-demand career.

“The project will focus on pre-apprenticeship and construction training, as well as wrap-around support to help with childcare, transportation, and other barriers to employment,” said Kathy Kennedy, PELC’s Executive Director. 

The three-week training program includes safety certification, basic construction techniques, how to use tools safely, along with trades math, resume writing, and soft skills. 

“We work with the Safety Guys, who are industry leaders in this training, along with area trades contractors and an array of skilled facilitators. 

“After three weeks of classroom training, every participant will do a 12-week paid placement with a local construction company,” said program coordinator Christine Durant.

Construction attrition is an issue both across the province and locally, with fewer people entering the trades. 

According to the County Foundation’s Vital Signs report, in 2024, 820 people, or 6.7 percent of the local workforce, held an apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma. That’s down from 2,315 or 12.2 percent in 2011. Meanwhile, developers are planning to build more than 10,000 new homes here over the next two decades.

“This project will help address a gap in local workforce development, paving career pathways for people who are new to construction,” said Ms. Durant. “It includes opportunities for youth, for women, and for people who have been out of the labour force.”

CBN Springboard

The pilot is just the springboard the Community Benefits Network was hoping for.

Thrive PEC is pledging to work with the Prince Edward Learning Centre to create a framework for a CBN. 

Such a network pulls together developers, neighbours, and the broader community, to collaborate on large scale development projects with the goal of promoting positive community outcomes amidst growth and development. 

The framework will be introduced to the public in the coming months. Public consultation sessions and a survey were administered last year.

“In both of the CBN public information sessions last year, we heard from the community about the need for well paid  jobs in our community. 

“This pilot program is the seed that will grow into a long lasting skills training program that answers both the construction labour shortage and provides new career pathways for local residents,” said Ms. Durant.

The skills training program will be conducted in two sessions. The first starts  February 24th and the second in early April.