- The Canadian government and other organizations are working to reduce the stigma around skilled trades, but there is still a shortage of workers
- With a growing need to recruit and train skilled workers, authentic content from influencers is resonating
- Influencers like Quentin Deheus are effectively using platforms like TikTok to change perceptions, share their experiences and provide information about working in trades
The skilled trades have long carried a stigma, and the Canadian government and other organizations have been working for years to try to find ways to get more people interested and arm them with accurate information.
“Promoting the skilled trades to young people is essential to reducing the stigma that still surrounds careers in the trades. These careers offer good quality, well-paying jobs, yet there is a gap in knowledge for many Canadians,” France Daviault, executive director of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, said in a 2022 news release that outlined a new campaign meant to draw people toward the sector.
Government data shows that the need to recruit and train skilled workers is growing, with approximately 700,000 blue-collar workers expected to retire between 2019 and 2028.
To help attract the workers we need, influencers are stepping up in an authentic way and that is resonating with people.
Sharing the #BlueCollar life
If you browse the roughly 1.8 million posts on TikTok using the hashtag #BlueCollar, you might come across one from journeyman scaffolder Quentin Deheus (@quentindeheus).
“There’s a lot of stereotypes put on different lines of work,” says Mr. Deheus, who lives and works in Alberta and has been working as a scaffolder for 13 years.
In 2022, one of his TikTok videos that addressed mental health at work went viral, and since then he’s been creating more content that is helping people navigate the trades.
His videos get into topics like the difference between union and non-union work, what it’s like to be a first-year scaffolder and how much money he makes working a 7&7 schedule (seven days working followed by seven days off).
While some stigma and myths exist about the industry, like people thinking the jobs are low paying or unprofessional, Mr. Deheus says they also exist about the people within the trades.
“Maybe this trade is hot headed and aggressive, another is full of complainers or all this trade does is drink alcohol,” he says.
“Unfortunately, these are old stereotypes that have carried over and are not so accurate anymore,” he says, adding that people who fit those stereotypes can be found working in any type of job.
On top of the content he creates, Mr. Deheus says he has a lot of people on social media coming to him with questions.
“If I don’t have a specific answer to someone’s question, I do my best to go above and beyond, whether that’s reaching out to my union or my employer, and try to provide accurate and detailed information,” he says.
His approach is resonating, as his TikTok following nears 400,000.
The power of influence
Mr. Deheus is just one of many Canadians creating content about working in the trades, and they’re influencing the perceptions and actions of current and future workers.
In fact, trust in influencers has grown, with 61 per cent of Gen Z and millennials saying they trust these content creators, up from 51 per cent in 2019.
Mr. Deheus says he wants to balance showing the perks with some of the tougher realities of working in the trades, while encouraging people to see what type of job could be a fit for them personally.
“There are so many different avenues you can go in the blue-collar life,” he says. “That information isn’t always put out there for people to understand.”
What I’m reading around the web
- Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman found that being smart only accounts for about 1-2 per cent of financial success. Instead, traits like self-discipline, perseverance and diligence – parts of being conscientious – are much more important for getting ahead.
- More people are stepping back from their phones and social media because it’s harming their mental health. Here’s how they’re focusing on real-life activities and face-to-face interactions to feel better and more balanced.
- In 2024, compensation increases in Canada fell slightly short of financial services company Mercer’s projections, with average merit increases at 3.2 per cent. Despite this, salaries are still rising faster than prepandemic levels and above inflation.
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