Helmets to Hardhats to Nova Scotia

Halifax, NS – June 18, 2014 – Brad Smith, Executive Director of the Mainland Building Trades is pleased to announce that a special session will be held in their upcoming, first annual conference scheduled for tomorrow, June 19th at the Westin Nova Scotian in Halifax.

Brigadier-General Greg Matte, a native of Kingston, Nova Scotia and former “Top Gun” fighter pilot will be leading a session regarding the transition of military vets into the building and construction industry through the Helmets to Hardhats Canada initiative. A non-profit program largely funded by private industry and the Building Construction Trades unions, the program has been going strong all across Canada for a little more than two years. During that time, the program has registered approximately 100 vets into the program each month, and has been successful in placing a vet into an apprenticeship or employment opportunity every other day on average.

“It’s a pleasure to bring additional awareness to this wonderful program to the unions, employers and members of the local communities all across Nova Scotia”, said Smith, “and we’re very proud to be able to do our part to provide our deserving vets with opportunities for great new civilian careers in our industry.”

Halifax has the largest military base in Canada with over 10,000 highly skilled trained and experienced military. “Skills that we recognize, and are transferable to the professional trades,” adds Smith.

“To have a program dedicated exclusively to Canadian Forces members making the transition from active duty to full time employment is absolutely wonderful,” notes Captain Angus Topshee, Base Commander, Canadian Forces Base Halifax. “A program like this offers rewarding career opportunities for our veterans,” adds Topshee.

“With the potential upswing in the local economy that is foreseen by the National Shipbuilding Strategy efforts in the Halifax shipyards, as well as the Canada East pipeline initiative to bring bitumen product to the Irving oil refinery in Saint John, there is exciting potential for our vets to retire in the Maritimes and enjoy a prosperous new career in the Building Trades,” said Matte. “As such, it’s a pleasure to strengthen the relationship between the Helmets to Hardhats program and the local Building Trades organizations so as to be well positioned to capitalize on these opportunities.”

For more information contact:
Brad Smith, Executive Director
Mainland Building Trades
902-476-4276