[:en]Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) across the country will host and participate in a number of ceremonies honouring Remembrance Day.

“November 11 provides us as Canadians, a reminder to thank those serving their lives to protect our freedoms and rights as citizens of this great country. We take time, through local celebrations and moments of silence, to pay respect to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice to make our country into what it is today,” said Robert Blakely, Canadian Operating Officer, CBTU. “How we look after those that have so long protected us, says a lot about our country. Through Helmets to Hardhats, Canada’s Building Trades Unions work with retired veterans to transition to civilian life in a rewarding and fulfilling career building the country they so long have protected.”

The transition from active military service to civilian life is rarely, if ever, an easy one. Due to gaps in experience and a lack of a higher education, many veterans struggle to find work and make new lives for themselves. Helmets to Hardhats is trying to change that. By working with trades to place vets in accelerated apprenticeship programs, Helmets to Hardhats isn’t just providing veterans with jobs, but giving them the tools and training they need to build life-long construction careers.

To date, Helmets to Hardhats has successfully placed over 700 veterans into an apprenticeship or skilled trade. There are over 230 Local Unions and over 400 contractors currently participating in the program.

“We should always be thankful to our veterans for securing our freedom and democracy. For what those brave men and women do for us, the least we can do is give them more options when they come home. Offering them opportunities in the unionized construction industry – one of the safest, best paying careers, with the fairest contractors – it’s the right thing to do,” said Joe Maloney, Executive Director of Helmets to Hardhats.

“Our contractors and local unions have stepped up to support reservists and veterans, we currently have over 600 veterans seeking work opportunities and the more local unions we can get on board, the better we can serve our veterans.”

This Sunday, November 11, please take the time to remember those loved and lost, not to be forgotten.

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About CBTU

Canada’s Building Trades Unions is an alliance of 15 international unions in the construction, maintenance and fabrication industries that collectively represent over half a million skilled trades workers in Canada. Each year, our unions and our signatory contractor partners invest over $300 million in private sector money to fund and operate over 175 apprenticeship training and education facilities across Canada that produce the safest, most highly trained and productive skilled craft workers found anywhere in the world. Canada’s Building Trades Unions represent members who work in more than 60 different trades and occupations, and generate 14 per cent of Canada’s GDP.

Kate Walsh

Director of Communications

Canada’s Building Trades Unions

613.298.0652

kwalsh@cbtu.pinkrobot.dev[:]