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Arnold Rumbold: Honorary Electrical Installations Technology Diploma Recipient

Arnold Rumbold, a retired electrician and philanthropist, was a recipient of the 2024 Honorary Electrical Installations Technology Diploma at NAIT’s convocation ceremony last week. He’s a man who has embodied a lifelong passion for the skilled trades. His career as a master electrician and later as an esteemed estimator in the construction industry demonstrate both his technical prowess and entrepreneurial spirit. Beyond his professional achievements, Rumbold and his wife Grace are committed philanthropists. NAIT holds a special place in Rumbold’s philanthropic efforts, with the establishment of scholarships and bursaries aimed at supporting students in the trades, including initiatives that encourage female apprenticeship in traditionally male-dominated fields. Reflecting on his journey from rural beginnings to professional success, Rumbold emphasizes the importance of giving back and supporting others, inspired by his own upbringing and the opportunities he seized along the way. Arnold Rumbold’s story is a testament to the transformative power of education, innovation, and community support, highlighting how a passion for learning and a dedication to philanthropy can shape lives and communities for the better. CLRA congratulates Arnold on receiving his Electrical Installations Technology diploma. Learn more about Arnold Rumbold here.

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Alberta’s Economic Outlook: Navigating Towards Growth in 2024 and Beyond

ATB recently released its quarterly economic analysis, providing wide-ranging insights into GDP, inflation, population and employment rates, and touching on sectors like agriculture, construction, and energy on both a provincial and national level. Over the past year, the province felt the bite of economic challenges caused by high interest rates, slower energy sector growth, and agriculture sector setbacks due to drought. However, ATB reports that Alberta is poised to rebound in 2025, driven by improvements in energy market access, stronger home construction, and meaningful expansion in the hydrocarbon and petrochemical manufacturing sector. Alberta’s economy has key tailwinds propelling it forward, with growth projections indicating a real GDP increase of 2.5% in 2024 and 2.7% in 2025, soundly outpacing the national average. This resurgence is marked by a shift towards multifaceted growth across sectors. Despite energy investment remaining below pre-2014 levels, expansions in sectors like hydrogen, biofuels, food manufacturing, and petrochemicals are contributing to economic vitality. Emerging industries such as technology, aviation, tourism, and film are also gaining traction, underscoring Alberta’s adaptability and potential for innovation. As evidenced by a 28% increase in building permits in early 2024, home construction is significantly driving growth, with residential investment projected to surge as

Announcement

2024 Skills Canada National Competition Recap

Earlier this month, representatives from Alberta journeyed to Quebec City to compete in the 2024 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC). After showcasing their exceptional skills on the national stage, they returned home with 36 medals. In fact, 77% of Team Alberta finished in the top 4! This impressive performance truly spotlights the dedication and capability of these future tradespeople. The Skills Canada National Competition is the premier national event for students and apprentices in various trades and technologies. Each year, over 500 of Canada’s top talents gather to compete in more than 40 different skill areas, including industrial mechanics, refrigeration and air conditioning, sheet metal work, carpentry, bricklaying, and more. During the event, thousands of students explore rewarding career opportunities in the skilled trades and technologies through dozens of exciting competitions, interactive activities, exhibitor booths, and by engaging with industry professionals. This year’s theme was “Creating Possibilities” – a fitting description given the necessary and enhanced focus on the skilled trades sector in Alberta. As our economy grows and expands, so too does the need for talented tradespeople to support our infrastructure needs. Now, more than ever, the focus on excellence in trades and technologies is being matched by employers

Announcement

Build Your Future Here: NAIT’s Upcoming Advanced Skills Centre

As CLRA members are all too familiar with, the province continues to grapple with a shortage of skilled trades workers, which not only leaves critical construction jobs unfilled but increases the average Albertan’s overall cost of living. To help address this challenge – and create more opportunities for students to enter these high-demand fields – today, the Alberta government announced its investment of $43 million into the design and development of NAIT’s new Advanced Skills Centre (ASC). The ASC will aim to become a global leader in apprenticeship and cutting-edge, technology-based education, focusing on four key sectors: construction, transportation, manufacturing, and energy. During the announcement, Minister of Advanced Education Rajan Sawhney highlighted the ASC’s role in meeting Alberta’s growing economic demands by expressing that “Alberta is leading the way in skills and trades education”. With construction set to begin in 2025, the ASC will add 640,000 square feet of modern learning space to NAIT’s campus. This expansion will allow over 4,000 additional apprentices to graduate from NAIT each year, an institute which already boasts a 30% student representation in full-time apprenticeship and skilled trades programs. This investment in the development of the ASC is crucial for ensuring that Albertans wishing

Excerpt: Board Chair's New Year Message to Members

“Over the next several months, much of our association’s focus for that work will be advocacy with the provincial government and with other industry stakeholders. Politics in Alberta have changed dramatically and permanently over the last decade. As a result, we have work to do to raise awareness about CLRA with decision-makers and influencers in government.

“We have important messages to deliver on your behalf about the value of the collective agreements we’ve signed with the skilled trade unions, about the value CLRA offers to government efforts to attract investment and workers to Alberta, about the need for more predictable and stable investments in the construction industry, trades education and workforce retention, about the impact of potential changes to labour legislation, workplace safety regulations and building codes, and about the need to attract and recruit more people to our industry from underrepresented groups including women, LGBTQ2S+ and Indigenous people.

“As Chair, my only ask of our members this year is to support these efforts.”