The Liberals want to increase the number of skilled tradespeople in the province.
Premier Stephen McNeil announced an additional 700 apprenticeship positions will be created across Nova Scotia for community college graduates.
That ties into $5 million dollars already announced to build shop classes in high school.
However, McNeil says it’s not just young people going into the trades.
Adults are looking to make the shift as well.
“There was a period of time where someone might leave high school at sixteen and go to a vocational school. But those days are gone. It’s now someone who graduates from high school, then in some cases, goes to university then comes back and goes to a trade school.”
McNeil says the province’s approach needs to change to accommodate people’s lives.
“We need to make sure that they can afford to go back and do that upgrading. And that’s why we announced that we would take out the entire cost of continuing to earn your blocks. For each apprentice, it’s about $900 a year.”
McNeil says he wants to link the education the province provides directly back to jobs.
But, PC Leader Jamie Baillie thinks McNeil is putting the cart before the horse.
“Well it only works if there’s a jobs plan to make sure there are jobs for these people to do. We’re the only party with a fully costed ten year plan to put people to work rebuilding the infrastructure of the province.”
Baillie calls the Liberal’s plan a half measure.
“Creating more apprenticeship spots is only half the problem. We need to get serious about job creation. That’s why we have the Rebuild Nova Scotia Fund which puts 10,000 tradespeople to work rebuilding our infrastructure.”
NDP Leader Gary Burrill feels McNeil’s plan doesn’t go far enough and the NDP have their own thoughts on how to help the trades.
“The commitment to eliminate tuition at all thirteen campuses of the Nova Scotia Community College. We think this is the best investment in the younger generation, that at this moment, can be made.”
Burrill says this would include covering the costs of the apprenticeship modules.
“This is an investment. For every dollar the Nova Scotia public would spend on eliminating tuition in the Nova Scotia Community College, over the working taxpaying lifetime of that person, the public will experience a return of $7.20.”
All three leaders agree investing in job creation is vital to the success of Nova Scotia.
