Ottawa, June 27 – Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) today announced a new partnership with Mark’s Commercial to increase the participation of equity-deserving groups, specifically women and Indigenous peoples, and improve safety in the skilled trades.
As part of this initiative, Mark’s Commercial and CICan will launch a series of initiatives focused on raising awareness among equity-deserving groups of the training programs available to them within colleges and institutes and the promising careers in these fields. These initiatives will also work to inform employers about the value of a diversified workplace and provide financial support to students from underrepresented groups already enrolled in trade programs.
Throughout the partnership, Mark’s Commercial and CICan will distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) through various events as an opportunity to encourage more high school students to learn about the trades through hands-on learning experiences. Other activities include a national discount program on trades workwear and PPE for all CICan member students and a student pitch competition focused on redesigning the future of safety in trades.
“We are delighted to team up with Mark’s Commercial to ensure the skilled trades reflect the diversity of our communities,” says Denise Amyot, President & CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada. “We want everyone in Canada to feel encouraged to explore our diverse range of training programs that equip all learners, regardless of socio-economic background, with the necessary skills and on-the-job learning experiences to pursue a career in the trades.”
According to Statistics Canada, it is estimated that 700,000 skilled trade workers are expected to retire between 2019 and 2028. The high number of job vacancies, particularly in industries such as construction and manufacturing, has created soaring demand for tradespeople.
“In order to counteract labour shortages in the skilled trades, we must tap into the potential of diverse population groups,” says Adam Gaiser, Associate Vice President of Sales, Mark’s Commerical. “Partnering with CICan will enable us to increase inclusivity within these fields while providing even greater support to those already participating in trade programs. Additionally, we are thrilled about the opportunity to highlight the significance of workplace safety for students entering the workforce.”
About Mark’s Commercial
At Mark’s Commercial, we are devoted to revolutionizing the industrial workwear landscape for Canadian businesses. Our mission is to work with forward-thinking organizations to keep Canadian workers warmer, drier, safer and more comfortable. We do so with leading-edge technology and innovation that will contribute to an incident-free future and the goal of bringing workers home safe … every single day.
Our commitment to product performance and unparalleled quality stems from our deep understanding of the challenges faced by Canadian workers. We strive to create a safe and protected working environment for all by developing cutting-edge workwear solutions that exceed expectations and stand the test of time.
Choose Mark’s Commercial to experience the ultimate fusion of innovation and safety in industrial workwear as we work hand-in-hand with you to ensure the safety and well-being of your workforce. Let’s work together towards an incident-free future.
About Colleges and Institutes Canada
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is the national and international voice of Canada’s largest post-secondary education network. It advocates, builds capacity, and drives knowledge to strengthen Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, and polytechnics. With more than 95% of Canadians living within 50 km of a member institution, and thanks to its extensive reach around the globe, CICan works to future-proof communities in Canada and abroad.
We respectfully acknowledge that CICan’s offices in Ottawa are located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation.