In recent years within Ontario, there has been a shortage of young adults going into trade positions and education. Many jobs are looking to be filled and with the trade workforce typically being older individuals, when they retire, an estimated 200,000 jobs will be looking to be filled.
Logan Lirette is a 19 year old who recently made the leap into the trades, finding himself in a construction position. “I always want to do architecture, things like that. Dreaming pretty big when I was in grade nine, but then reality kind of sets in and things get a little bit harder, dreams get a little harder to achieve. So I just kind of weaned off with that idea. Once I got to grade 12, I did woodworking all throughout high school, I was always in shop class. It kind of dawned on me a little bit in grade 10 or 11, that I was going to do a trade, maybe like carpentry or cabinet making.” Logan didn’t go through high school thinking he would become a tradesmen.
Being a 19 year old in a predominantly older workforce, it can be a little bit of a learning curve to adjust to. “It’s definitely a little bit different, because there’s a lot of older guys in the trade, that’s for sure. I’m the youngest one. They call me “The Kid” or “Youngblood.” They have a bunch of different things they call me, like I’m 19. These guys are 29 to 50 to 60 years old, right? So I’m the youngest of the pack but no, it’s it’s been great. Everyone gets along nice.” Logan was relieved to know that he wouldn’t be casted as an outsider just because of his age.
When it comes to schooling, there are a few options for post secondary such as college, university, or the trades. But sometimes elders and parents tend to persuade the student into a certain path. “I was honestly given my own choices so I never had a pressure or anything. The only pressure really was to do something and not just sit at home and game and just not have a job and make no money. But no, this was pretty much all my I chose to do this myself. Yeah, I really chose to do it myself and I’m glad that I did it.” Logan says that he appreciated that his parents didn’t force him into any specific schooling or career path.
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