Accelerating growth for skilled workers in Alberta

Alberta's government is investing $4 million to expand training opportunities for skilled trades workers, allowing them to build credentials without leaving their jobs.

The two-year pilot program, developed in partnership with the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC), will support at least 200 workers in high-demand trades including welding, steamfitter-pipefitting, instrumentation and ironworking.

Training will be delivered through an adaptive learning platform developed by Built To Learn, a Canadian training provider. The platform assesses what workers already know and personalizes the learning path, allowing them to move faster through material they have already mastered while focusing on gaps.

"One of Alberta's biggest strengths is our workforce," said Joseph Schow, Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration. "This program builds up our existing workforce and puts us even further ahead by partnering government with industry, delivering real economic results and benefit to Albertans."

Training will be delivered using established eligibility criteria under Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training's Trades Qualifier Program and will not change existing certification or Red Seal standards.

Minister of Advanced Education Myles McDougall said the investment addresses the pace of credentialing. "This investment helps experienced workers build their skills, earn their credentials sooner, and get to work on the projects driving our economy forward."

CLAC represents approximately 24,000 workers in Alberta, primarily in heavy industrial construction and maintenance, and is Canada's largest independent, multi-sector union.

"This initiative is about breaking barriers down," said Dennis Perrin, CLAC's provincial director for Alberta and Saskatchewan. "This approach will deliver real, measurable impact in the near term and help relieve the pressure facing not only our CLAC Union construction membership, but the wider Canadian workforce as well."

The one-time grant runs from March 27, 2026 to March 27, 2028. The pilot is open to individuals registered under the Trades Qualifier Program and is intended to inform future efforts to expand trades certification access across the province.