YELLOWKNIFE - Dozens of students from across the NWT traveled between the two high schools in Yellowknife learning about a career future in trades.

"It's important to make students aware of the many opportunities in trades and occupations in the territory," said Angela Littlefair, coordinator with the NWT Apprenticeship and Occupation Certification.

"There's definitely a skills shortage."

Littlefair said that some of this comes from lack of understand of what the trades are.

She said there were a number of misconceptions she was addressing.

"(One) is that math isn't needed, that they don't need to finish school, that they're low paying."

Littlefair said that these are all false.

In fact she said students should look at a lot of businesses in trades in their towns; many of them were started by trades people looking to be their own bosses, and trades pay well.

"We're trying to spread the message that the trades industry is a viable career opportunity," said Rolly Comeau of Central Mechanic Systems.

Comeau stood in front of a group of men working on new construction plumbing, competing from across the NWT.

He said that he tried to encourage students by dispelling some of the misconceptions they may have with plumbing.

"(One is) that they're always going to have to do something dirty. We also do new construction."

Comeau said that plumbing isn't always sewage and toilets; it's helping to put in the plumbing in new buildings.

"Every day is different. I usually like to take something someone's drawn and make it into a reality," Comeau said of why he loves his job.

"Every project is different," he added.

Also at the trade show was the Mackenzie Gas Project.

Kevin Heron is the benefits advisor for the Deh Cho Region.

He said that the goal of the Mackenzie Gas Project being there was to encourage students to stay in school, and to promote some of the jobs that people would be needed for if the pipeline were to go in.

"There's a variety of skills," he said. Like mechanical operation, fixing, and camp support like cooks.

There are also engineers that would be needed as well.

All of which he said would require students to stay in school.

He said some of the questions he was asked a lot were; "Where do we go for training? What do we do for jobs?"

"The types of questions indicate that people talk about our programs."

Littlefair said that students shouldn't be scared of the trades, and if they're interested should speak to their guidance counselors or online resources on the options available to them.