The Government of Alberta and Helmets to Hardhats (H2H), an organization that gives retired military members a second career, have announced a partnership to aid retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in a new career in skilled trades. The $300,000 investment will help launch H2H’s Skilled Pathway program. This program “aims to support 40 veterans into apprenticeship systems, providing them with the necessary support to transition into civilian employment while supporting Alberta’s economic growth.”
Each successful member of the program will also receive leadership training, safety certification and personal protective equipment, ensuring that they are prepared for the job site.
“This program exemplifies the Alberta government’s commitment to supporting our Veterans. It addresses critical workforce needs while providing military families with opportunities for meaningful, long-term careers in the unionized construction industry,” said James Hogarth, Executive Director at Helmets to Hardhats, in the press release. “This initiative is a testament to what can be achieved when we work together to create pathways for those who have served.”
What is Helmets to Hardhats?
Helmets to Hardhats focuses on creating opportunities for military members to re-enter the workforce in the unionized construction industry. They also help with the “unique challenges” that veterans face when entering civilian life again, including Veteran-to-Veteran support and guidance from industry professionals. Being in operation for over 10 years, the program includes all branches of the military with a promising unionized construction career, while aiding in filling gaps in Canada’s construction labour market.
One of the benefits of programs like these is helping those who are not familiar with working in the Canadian workspace, by aiding in navigating unions, networking with employers, and the job hiring process. For veterans, this can be a very new experience, especially if the member has been in the CAF for a long time.
But what about NAIT and their veteran students?
It makes sense that many service members choose NAIT when they retire. There is a Canadian Forces Base here, and due to the tactical and technical nature of military training, the school of skilled trades is a natural fit. These veteran students bring a wealth of knowledge, such as leadership, team and time management and crisis prevention to these programs.
However, NAIT is lacking in one department: support. Even though the institution says they “provide access to a wide variety of courses, upgrading and full-time programs to hundreds of Canadian Forces personnel and their families each year,” there is no support program for the military veteran student.
As a veteran myself, I found it difficult to come back to full-time schooling.
The cultural shift from working in a highly skilled and disciplined, team-based organization, to an environment where it is acceptable to show up late and unprepared to class because your Starbucks order was wrong was hard to adjust to.
H2H provides targeted support to veterans; it’s why they exist. NAIT has the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, counsellors and peer support and NAITSA programs that support all different types of students with different cultures, religions and event interests. But when seeking support for myself, I came up empty. There is no direct support for the unique needs of our veteran students. I’m happy that programs like H2H exist, but for those of us that chose a different path after the military, I wish it wasn’t such a struggle to be thought of.
Cover: “Bridge recce, Napanee River, Ontario” provided by Matthew van Erp