Lead sponsorship of That Could Be Me signals growing industry investment in long-term recruitment aimed at strengthening Canada’s construction workforce pipeline as labour shortages continue to challenge builders across the country.
That Could Be Me – a national initiative aimed at promoting careers in the skilled trades to young people across the country. Image courtesy of Stature Films.
In an effort to combat the Canadian construction industry’s ongoing challenges related to a growing workforce shortage, PCL Construction recently became the lead sponsor of That Could Be Me – a new national; educational initiative aimed at raising awareness of skilled trades careers among Canadian youth. Developed by Toronto-based Stature Films in collaboration with Spitfire Recruiting Inc., the documentary-style video series promises to showcase real tradespeople, active jobsites and practical career pathways in an effort to encourage more students to consider careers in the skilled trades.
The initiative arrives at a time when general contractors across the country face persistent labour constraints driven by retirements, increasing construction demand and competition for qualified workers. And rather than focus on immediate recruitment, the program intends on targeting the industry’s long-term talent pipeline by introducing students, educators and families to skilled trades through classroom-ready educational content.
Building awareness earlier
According to project information released by Stature Films, That Could Be Me will consist of a 50-episode educational series featuring occupations across construction, electrical, logistics, green energy, natural resources, healthcare and other essential sectors.
Each documentary-style episode will follow real workers on Canadian jobsites, explaining what the work involves, how apprenticeship and training programs provide entry into the profession, and the career opportunities available as experience grows.
The series also places emphasis on increasing representation by highlighting women and other underrepresented groups while challenging outdated perceptions of skilled trades careers. The broader objective is to make trades careers more visible, relatable and aspirational for students before they make post-secondary education decisions,
Implications for contractors
For Canada’s general contractors, the partnership represents another example of large industry stakeholders investing directly in workforce development rather than relying solely on traditional recruitment strategies. While initiatives such as That Could Be Me will not provide an immediate solution to labour shortages, increasing awareness among high school students could expand the future pool of apprentices entering the industry over the coming decade.
PCL’s sponsorship also reflects growing recognition that solving Canada’s skilled labour shortages requires sustained collaboration between contractors, educators, recruiters and industry organizations. By investing in early career awareness alongside apprenticeship and training initiatives, construction firms are increasingly viewing workforce development as a strategic business priority essential to maintaining project capacity, supporting future growth and ensuring the industry can meet Canada’s long-term infrastructure, commercial and residential construction needs.
For more information about That Could Be Me, visit www.staturefilms.com/tcbm-connect
Read PCL President and CEO Chris Gower’s insights concerning Canada’s current skilled labour shortage in an exclusive On-Site interview here.