August 6,2025
RED FM News Desk
Canada is facing a deepening skilled trades shortage, and Ralph Cerasuolo, founder and CEO of Skilled Trades College in Vaughan, Ontario, says a change in messaging is crucial to attracting younger generations to the industry.
In a recent interview with BNN Bloomberg, Cerasuolo highlighted alarming trends: across North America, for every seven tradespeople who leave the workforce, only one is entering. This imbalance is intensifying, with many workers nearing retirement and too few young people stepping in to fill the gap.
A major issue, Cerasuolo said, is that youth are still being steered toward university over hands-on training like apprenticeships or college programs. “About 70 per cent of post-secondary students choose university,” he noted, a trend rooted in decades-old messaging that prioritized academic degrees.
He believes that narrative must shift to promote skilled trades as a viable and essential career path. “Not everyone is meant to go to university,” he said. “Skilled trades are a driving force in our economy.”
The federal government has started responding. Prime Minister Mark Carney recently emphasized addressing the skilled labour shortage as a priority, proposing up to $8,000 in financial support for apprentices. Carney also highlighted the importance of investing in workers to strengthen the economy amid external pressures like U.S. tariffs.
Cerasuolo welcomed the government’s new support but said it’s overdue. “It’s great to see action, but this issue has been building for 35 to 40 years,” he said. Still, he’s encouraged by the growing awareness and funding now being directed at the issue.
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