NAIT has formed a Skilled Trades Council to guide planning for its Advanced Skills Centre (ASC), a training facility that will add capacity for 5,500 additional trades learners every year at its Edmonton campus. Who is on the Council The Skilled Trades Council includes Naseem Bashir, Co‑Chair and Executive Chair of Originus Ltd., Doreen Cole, Co‑Chair and Alberta energy executive, Carla Madra, CEO of Women Building Futures, and Jason Portas, Vice President at PCL Construction. Together they bring experience leading major energy operations, delivering complex infrastructure projects, advancing workforce development and driving innovation across engineering and technology. Their role is to ensure the ASC reflects the realities of modern worksites and the future of the industries it is built to serve. CLRA is grateful for the leadership and time these council members are contributing as Alberta works to strengthen the province’s skilled trades training capacity. What Is the Advanced Skills Centre The ASC will bring together 29 trades and technology programs under one roof, enabling NAIT to train more than 15,000 students annually across industries. The facility is in its final year of planning and design and is backed by provincial funding. The ASC is a new, long-term investment in

CLRA is encouraged by Dow Inc.’s confirmation that its $10-billion Path2Zero petrochemical project is moving ahead in Fort Saskatchewan. The company announced a new timeline with the first phase expected to start by the end of 2029 and a second phase operating by the end of 2030. This represents one of the largest active industrial projects in Alberta and a significant opportunity for the province’s skilled construction workforce. Last April, the company had delayed construction plans to reflect market conditions. Their renewed commitment provides the kind of certainty Alberta’s construction industry needs. The project is expected to create up to 5,500 jobs during peak construction and approximately 400 to 500 full-time jobs once fully operating. For CLRA members and the skilled trades workforce across Alberta, this represents substantial multi-year work in the Industrial Heartland region northeast of Edmonton. “Major petrochemical projects like Path2Zero are exactly the kind of project that puts our skilled trades to work and showcases what Alberta’s construction industry can deliver,” said CLRA President Joe McFadyen. “Our members have the expertise to build complex facilities like this and we’re ready to work with Dow to ensure they have access to the skilled labour they need.” The project

Close to 270,000 workers, or about 21% of Canada’s construction workforce will retire in the next 10 years. With several major projects on the horizon across Alberta, the construction industry needs to find ways to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha workers in ways that match their expectations and values. A recent article in BuildForce Magazine looks at what that means. Different Values, Same Opportunity Gen Z has been shaped by the pandemic and grew up entirely in a digital world. Their values reflect those experiences. But the construction industry has a lot to offer workers looking for real-world impact. Building physical infrastructure, shaping communities and seeing tangible results from work resonates strongly with younger workers who want meaningful careers. CLRA supports this connection through partnerships with Skills Alberta, Careers the Next Generation and the Workforce Development Trust, helping bridge the gap between younger workers and construction opportunities. What Matters to Gen Z Clear career paths and good wages matter. The article’s author points out that the opportunity to work on sustainability-focused projects and community-centered work also matters. Gen Z wants to know where their career is heading and how their work contributes to something bigger. Construction can deliver