ALBERTA NDP WILL BUILD THE NAIT ADVANCED SKILLS CENTRE TO TRAIN WORKERS, GROW ECONOMY

News Release

ALBERTA NDP WILL BUILD THE NAIT ADVANCED SKILLS CENTRE TO TRAIN WORKERS, GROW ECONOMY

CALGARY – An Alberta NDP government will build the NAIT Advanced Skills Centre to train skilled workers, address a critical shortage in the skilled trades, and grow the Alberta economy.
“We are very pleased to see the campaign commitment made towards the planning and site preparation for our Advanced Skills Centre,” said Laura Jo Gunter, President and CEO of NAIT in a letter to Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley. “This is an incredibly important project for NAIT.”
The NAIT Advanced Skills Centre is a key element of the Alberta NDP’s plans to create good industrial jobs, for example to support building the DOW Net-Zero Campus in Fort Saskatchewan, which is a planned $11 billion investment in the region.
“This is a historic investment in NAIT, and investment in Alberta workers, and a key part of the Alberta NDP plan to invest in a better future,” said Taneen Rudyk, the Alberta NDP candidate in Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville. “This investment is critical to support working families and create good industrial jobs in the Heartland and across Alberta.”
According to the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, Alberta will need 26,000 new journeypersons and 51,000 new apprenticeships in the top 15 Red Seal Trades by 2026 to meet industry demand. 
The Alberta NDP has committed $45 million in its costed plan to begin immediate work on detailed planning and site preparation work ahead of construction. 
“We need to train the next generation in the skilled trades to meet demand and take advantage of the economic opportunities before us,” said Bill Tonita, Alberta NDP candidate for Strathcona-Sherwood Park. “Our expansion of the Alberta Petrochemical Incentive Program (APIP) and the Alberta Future Tax Credit is projected to create 47,000 jobs and generate $20 billion in new investments.”
The Alberta NDP have also committed to creating 30,000 additional post-secondary education spaces over the next four years, in order to meet the Government of Alberta’s projected enrollment needs. 
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