News Article

With high paying wages and a number of unfilled positions, there’s no better time to be a sheet metal worker in Newfoundland and Labrador. To combat the need for trained workers, CNA has added another offering of the Sheet Metal Worker program at its Seal Cove campus.

Gerard Murphy, the business manager of Sheet Metal Workers International, Local 512, says the union is in need of more workers to fill positions for mega projects in the province.
 
The union is beginning to provide workers for the Hebron Project, which they anticipate will need 60-80 sheet metal workers, while phase two of the Long Harbour (Vale Inco) project is expected to start in the spring and will require 80-90 workers.
 
“We have pretty well all of our members working right now and those who are not will be pretty soon, so we don’t have the people available to fill those positions,” Murphy said. “We are accepting anyone coming from College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Sheet Metal Worker program as members when they apply. As soon as the apprentices finish up we are pretty well guaranteeing them a job.”
 
According to Seal Cove Campus Administrator Chris Patey, students will learn to fabricate, assemble, install and repair various sheet metal products used in the manufacturing and service industry and earn a Red Seal certification.
 
“In response to industry demand for skilled workers, CNA will be offering the Sheet Metal Worker program at its Seal Cove campus,” Patey said. “This is in addition to the existing offering at Burin campus. We have been encouraged by reports of a strong labour market, competitive wages and opportunities for future growth in this exciting field.”
 
In addition to Hebron and Long Harbour, Murphy says they also have union members working in Labrador City and Muskrat Falls.
 
“These projects are just starting for us so there is definitely good, long-term employment for people on these jobs. The wages are really, really attractive. We have high paying wages on all of these projects. Along with the wages, there are the benefits such as pension and health, which are paid on hours earned. So if you are working any overtime, the benefits are paid on the double-time as well.”
 
Murphy said he expects to see a lot of overtime with the mega projects.  In the past Long Harbour workers were usually scheduled for 14 days of work with seven days off. Of those 14 days, weekends are all paid at double time rates. However, employees can also avail of a living out allowance which gives them an added incentive.
 
“For the Long Harbour and Hebron sites the camps are available, but if you opt out of staying in the camp they pay $128 a day worked for you to travel. They are trying to attract people to these projects.”
 
According to Murphy sheet metal workers average between $1,800 and $2,000 each week, plus an additional $128 each day for those who take advantage of the living out allowance.
 
“There are definitely not enough people to meet the demand. For the Long Harbour project alone we had to bring in 100 permits from Atlantic Canada for phase one because we couldn’t supply enough workers. It’s definitely looking bright in this province for sheet metal workers.”
 
Burin Sheet Metal Worker instructor Dave Kenway says the majority of graduates from Burin campus are hired upon graduation.
 
“The program has been up and running at Burin campus for eight years now,” Kenway said. “Over the past couple of years it has full classes with waiting lists. This is largely due to the fact that the majority of our students are getting employment as soon as they finish.


“This past year we had three of our female students go right to Long Harbour as Sheet Metal apprentices. We are also getting a lot of our former students back doing their block training and this past year we had three of our original students complete their block four and pass their Red Seal exam to become Journeypersons.”
 
One of the female graduates to be hired at Long Harbour was Jenna Adams from Burin. Adams wanted to stay in her hometown for post-secondary education and was encouraged by a family friend to take the Sheet Metal Worker program due to numerous job opportunities in the field.
 
“I’m a pretty hands-on person and even though I was unsure about the program at first, I decided to give it a try. I love it and I have been at it ever since. It’s in high demand for jobs so there are good chances out there,” Adams said. “It was the best time I ever had in school and I found a job right away.”
 
Employment opportunities for sheet metal workers are diverse. They work with a variety of metals to create everything from cabinets and shelving, to ductwork for heating and ventilation systems, or metal cladding for buildings. The working environment can also be diverse; from shipyards and offshore oil platforms to schools, hospitals and construction sites.

Seats are still available in the new Sheet Metal Worker offering at the Seal Cove campus for March. Students are required to have a high school diploma or equivalent, or may be accepted as mature students. For more information about CNA’s Sheet Metal Worker program visit www.cna.nl.ca.
 
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Media Contact:
 
Glenda McCarthy
Public Relations Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.6408
glenda.mccarthy@cna.nl.ca