Boating Industry Canada August 2015 - (Page 4)

INSIGHT BY ANDY ADAMS People were Complaining About the Students! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT - people were complaining about and his wife Michelle who are now managing the big Krate how many students showed up at the 2014 Canadian Marine organization in Keswick, Ontario. They came in just Mechanical & Plumbing Exposition, CMPX that was held in ahead of the season this year working for the new owners, Toronto in March 2014. Literally busloads of students were specifically Benn Speigel. They have definite plans for a 12coming in from as far away as month staff and to do lots of London and Kingston, on junwork through the winters. kets organized by schools and A few years ago, I had the community colleges. opportunity to sit down with Over 1200 young people Lloyd Crate whose father found(including a number of women) ed that marina in early 1930s. I came to the show because of asked him about 12 month work their interest in getting into the and whether or not they laid off mechanicals industry; plumbing, their technicians. According to heating, ventilation and air conLloyd, at that time the marina was ditioning. employing as many as 80 people The sheer numbers were and as far as he was concerned, impressive enough, but I was at they couldn't sustain that big staff the show and I overheard groups through the winters. of young people as they went The new owners and manfrom display to display, talking Georgian College is doing the best they can to attract and agers have taken a very different about brands of tools and prod- train new marine technicians, but no student wants a seasonal approach to the business, the ucts with surprising knowledge job when they graduate grounds are significantly freshand enthusiasm. ened up with new parking lots What could possibly be so and landscaping and in particuexciting to all these young people? lar, no derelict boats. A recent auction of up to 80 boats cleared The answer is the promise of a good life. the grounds out and made the facility much more attractive for Just like in the marine industry, there is a significant need those people who make the marina and its many facilities their for new technicians to enter the plumbing and HVAC indus- summer home. tries and the word gets out quickly that there are full-time jobs In future, their intention is to provide 12-month employavailable, and at a rate of pay and allows a young person to ment to all the Krate Marine staff (with the exception of the really get started in life. summer students on the gas docks) and by organizing the busiIf you read our story in the June issue Boating Industry ness in a much more efficient way, things already run visibly Canada magazine about Canada's Marine Technician Crisis, better with a smaller group of people. (page 14) you know our industry is desperately short of young If your business is currently laying people off at the end of the people who want to get involved. season, we strongly suggest that you consider a reorganization of The schools and colleges all share information with their the business that would provide 12-month employment. young students that the pay scales and the opportunities in Even if we could pay the hourly wages that the plumbing plumbing and HVAC can lead to a good life. The schools are HVAC industries do, until we offer a full 12 months of employnot saying that about the marine industry and the primary rea- ment, the marine industry simply cannot compete for people. son is because in many parts of Canada, being a marine technician is a seasonal employment job. Andy Adams - Editor I recently had an opportunity to sit down with Rob Walters 4 Boating Industry Canada AUGUST 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boating Industry Canada August 2015

Insight
Industry News
Impact - Tim Kennedy
Products & Innovation - Marine Tech Crisis
Propulsion - Going for a Ride
Ad Nauseam
Made In Canada - Scepter
Made In Canada - Steelhead Marine
The Boat Shop - NMEA
The Boat Shop - ABYC

Boating Industry Canada August 2015