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CALGARY — Alberta’s government is launching a new skills training hub aimed at giving junior high and high school students hands-on exposure to careers in the skilled trades before graduation.
The Alberta Trades Discovery Centre, an industry-led initiative, is expected to open in Calgary in fall 2026. The centre will provide a professional space where students can explore construction trades, learn directly from experienced tradespeople and gain practical experience to help guide decisions on high school courses, post-secondary pathways and future careers.
Advanced Education Minister Myles McDougall says the initiative is intended to strengthen the province’s workforce by helping students better understand opportunities in the trades while complementing training offered by post-secondary institutions.
The province says the centre will focus on career exploration rather than apprenticeship training, with students gaining hands-on experience at “try-a-trade” bays designed to simulate real work environments.
The government is investing $6 million over three years to support the centre’s implementation and operations, with plans to expand to other regions as demand grows.
The centre will be governed by a board representing Alberta’s construction sector, including the Alberta Construction Association, Building Trades of Alberta, Construction Labour Relations Alberta and OpenCircle. Board chair Warren Singh says the Calgary location will serve as a model for a broader, sustainable approach to promoting careers in the trades.
Provincial data show Alberta’s industrial, commercial and institutional construction sector employs more than 250,000 people and is expected to require more than 59,000 additional workers over the next decade.
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