Strategic Action Plan

Setting out the industry’s goals and objectives

As part of our efforts to ensure balanced labour markets for the many specialized trades and occupations employed by the home building and renovation industry, the AHBRSC sought and secured funding from the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education’s Sector Council Program to support the implementation of a Strategic Action Plan through to March 31, 2022.

The multi-year Strategic Action Plan sets out specific goals, objectives and measurements in the following areas:

Human Resource Planning Activities

• Residential sector Labour Market Information (LMI) model: industry and labour force characteristics
• HR needs assessment and supports for residential businesses
• Updated Occupational Standards for current and new residential trades and occupations
  • Carpentry, including review of compulsory trade status and trades specialization model, and renovation
  • Other residential trades and new trades (residential site manager and manufactured housing)
  • Residential construction career paths
• Develop tools and resources, and implement pilots of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) options, for certification of residential carpentry skills
• Residential trades apprenticeship and contractor licensing
  • Apprenticeship issues
  • Synthesize research, monitor other provinces and share information
• Training provider capacity and engagement
• Industry engagement in residential trades training

Attraction, Retention and Succession Activities

• Recruitment and retention strategies and programs
  • Impact of ageing workforce and importance of recruitment
  • Sources and barriers for new workers: youth, women, immigrants, Aboriginals
  • Importance and best practices for retention, including older workers; succession planning

Training Activities

• Support for industry association HR training programs and coordination of pilots for new training programs and delivery models

Cross-cutting Activities

• Marketing and communications capacity and activities
• Online training options
• Stakeholder partnerships
  • Collaboration among industry, government, education and others
  • Sector Council Program support, and Association of Industry Sector Councils memorandums of understanding