René Jansen in de Wal, OECTA President

Mike Rowe: “We’ve been telling kids for 15 years to learn to code.” “Well, AI is coming for the coders.” “It’s not coming for the welders, the plumbers, the steamfitters, the pipefitters, the HVAC, or the electricians.” “In Aspen, I sat and listened to Larry Fink say we need 500,000 electricians in the next couple of years—not hyperbole.” “The BlueForge Alliance, who oversees our maritime industrial base—that’s 15,000 individual companies who are collectively charged with building and delivering nuclear-powered subs to the Navy … calls and says, we’re having a hell of a time finding tradespeople. Can you help?” “I said, I don’t know, man … how many do you need? He says, 140,000.” “These are our submarines. Things go hypersonic, a little sideways with China, Taiwan, our aircraft carriers are no longer the point of the spear. They’re vulnerable.” “Our submarines matter, and these guys have a pinch point because they can’t find welders and electricians to get them built.” “The automotive industry needs 80,000 collision repair and technicians.” “Energy, I don’t even know what the number is, I hear 300,000, I hear 500,000.” “There is a clear and present freakout going on right now. I’ve heard from six governors in the last six months. I’ve heard from the heads of major companies.”

Despite sidelining trustees to rein in spending, we’ve learned in the almost 7 months since being appointed, the TDSB’s government supervisor hasn’t made any changes to the spending plan, with the board operating under the same budget approved by trustees last spring.