Apprentices needed
Demand for journeypersons growing in NWT

Fact file
The first registered journeyperson in the NWT was Ewald Vogt, bricklayer, 1964.
There have been 4,015 certified journeypersons in the NWT since 1964.
88 per cent of all NWT apprentices complete their training for certification.
There are 42 trades in the NWT.
There are 830 apprenticeship employers in the NWT.
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics is the largest trade in the NWT, with 453 apprentices.
The GNWT spends $700,000 a year on apprenticeships programs.

by Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 06/98) - "We need all the plumbers, carpenters, electricians and heavy-duty equipment operators we can lay our hands on."

During the NWT's first celebration of Apprenticeship Week, Hilary Jones, co-ordinator of program development for apprenticeship trade with the Department of Education is putting out a call for trades people.

"We're promoting to encourage people to think about the trades and how much it produces for our economy," said Jones on Tuesday.

Tradespeople contribute more than $736 million to the North's economy each year -- about 34 per cent of total economic activity.

With the launching of Apprenticeship Week, the Department of Education has begun a marketing strategy to get more people into the trades.

They unveiled a honor roll at the legislature listing 4,015 apprentices registered in the NWT since 1964 to bring attention to the trades.

Education Minister Charles Dent recognized NWT apprentices and journeypersons on Monday.

"Journeypersons and apprentices can be found in every community and constituency in the NWT and their work can be seen and appreciated in our hospital, schools, airports, community halls and offices," said Dent.

"With thousands of men and women currently working in the trades, it is truly a Northern success story of which we should all feel some pride."

Dent said the demand for skilled trades people will only increase as Northerners work together to build a stronger future.