NAIT brings industry leaders together in new Skilled Trades Council

(Edmonton) - As Alberta’s economy relies on the strength of its skilled workforce, NAIT is proud to announce a new Skilled Trades Council. This group of leaders will provide critical industry voices as NAIT advances the planning and design of the Advanced Skills Centre (ASC).   

NAIT is pleased to welcome: 

• Naseem Bashir, P.Eng. (Co-Chair), Executive Chair, Originus Ltd. 
• Doreen Cole (Co-Chair), Alberta Energy Executive 
• Carla Madra, CEO, Women Building Futures 
• Jason Portas, Vice President, PCL Construction 

Biographies of the Skilled Trades Council members are available on the Advanced Skills Centre page.

These accomplished business leaders and trades champions will draw on their individual and collective experience and insight to champion the ASC’s role in addressing Alberta’s skilled trades crisis.  

Alberta’s demand for skilled tradespeople is at its peak. According to BuildForce Canada, Alberta must recruit and retain 59,000 construction trades professionals within the next decade. Combined with ambitious building projects from provincial and federal governments, the need for an already-stretched skilled labour pool will continue to grow. 

Once built, the Advanced Skills Centre will substantially expand Alberta’s training capacity for carpenters, electricians, plumbers, gasfitters, heavy equipment technicians and many other skilled trades—by up to 5,500 students each year. This state-of-the-art centre will future-proof NAIT’s learning environment by mirroring the realities of modern worksites and ensuring students are fully prepared to begin their careers. 

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Media inquiries: 

Veronica Jubinville  
NAIT Media Relations  
780-916-8307 
media@nait.ca