It is expected that nearly 400,000 jobs will be created in Alberta over the next 10 years, but only 300,000 new workers will enter the labour market at the current rate.

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) produces half of all tradespeople in Alberta, and 17 per cent of the national total. And it has a 10-year expansion plan to increase the total number of students from the current 72,000 to 108,000.

Large employers such as Petro Canada, Shell, Suncor and PCL Construction Group have contributed several million dollars to NAIT's $50-million expansion fund.

With so many big construction projects coming down the pipe, it's absolutely critical that companies help produce homegrown skilled labour, says NAIT president Sam Shaw.

"Industry gets it. Who doesn't get it is the federal government. We were established in the 1960s and we have yet to see one cent of federal support for apprentices."

"They put big dollars into universities yet fail to recognize the importance of the common worker."

Shaw said tradespeople, who often start their own businesses, are huge contributors to the economy and clearly the federal government "doesn't have its priorities straight."

Ottawa should also remember that the strong Alberta economy benefits the whole country one way or another. In fact, 16 per cent of employment in Ontario is related to Alberta's oil and gas industry, he said.

Waiward Steel president Don Oborowsky said while some companies are stepping forward to help, too many are not. "There's a whole group of employers who are doing absolutely nothing. And they are the ones who cry the most about a shortage of skilled people."

There are companies running ads every weekend seeking second- and third-year apprentices. It's obvious they have never indentured any apprentices and only steal from other companies, Oborowsky said. "Lots of companies talk about investing in people, but the only people they invest in is themselves."

Oborowsky, former chairman of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, said Alberta has the best apprenticeship program in the country and NAIT, SAIT and the other colleges do a great job helping train them.

But we have some catching up to do in the numbers needed over the next few years, he said.

He doesn't believe slowing down the schedule of big oilsands projects is the way to help the skilled-labour shortage.

"That's negative thinking. When you interfere with growth and prosperity you usually screw it up. It affects some people too much and others not at all."

Peter Stalenhoef, president of PCL's heavy construction division, says all sector players, including subtrades and contractors, need to work together to help post-secondary institutions produce more workers.

"The big issue is there are not enough qualified tradespeople, and we have to get more apprentices out of the system."WSN