News release

Nova Scotia Gets Ready to Build Ships

Premier's Office

Nova Scotia is getting ready. As Irving Shipbuilding prepares to build Canada's fleet of combat ships, Nova Scotia is building a competitive workforce and economy that Nova Scotians and their families can be proud to be a part of.

Thanks to a memorandum of understanding signed today, Oct. 19, more First Nations, women, African Nova Scotians, persons with disabilities and other Nova Scotians who are under-represented in the workforce will also be able to take advantage of opportunities stemming from the shipbuilding contracts.

"In Nova Scotia, we are investing in people – education, training and skills for good jobs that are the foundation for a good future. We invested in Irving's bid in order to win the contracts," said Premier Darrell Dexter. "Now we need to make the most of it, to create opportunities for communities across the province and for people of all backgrounds, from all walks of life."

The memorandum will create the Irving Shipbuilding Centre of Excellence at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC). Irving Shipbuilding will contribute $250,000 each year during the lifetime of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy programs to create and support the centre. The centre was part of the value proposition portion of Irving's bid, and integral to the win.

The memorandum is an important step in making sure that as jobs are created, opportunities are also available for people that have too often not received the economic benefits of participating in the workforce.

"More than 60 per cent of projected new jobs in Nova Scotia will require a post-secondary education," said NSCC president Don Bureaux. "The centre will provide career advice and options so that every Nova Scotian who wishes to, can access the advanced skills training they require to participate fully in our workforce and build the best ships possible."

The signing of the memorandum will allow consultation to begin with under-represented groups in the workforce.

"Irving Shipbuilding is proud to be Nova Scotia's largest employer of apprentices. Apprenticeship will be a crucial part of our workforce, to transfer the skills of our experienced shipbuilders to those who will teach the new generation 10 to 15 years from today," said Steve Durrell, president of Irving Shipbuilding. "It also means we need to work closely with those who will be training our future workforce, to ensure we open up those opportunities to all those who are interested in getting involved."

Irving Shipbuilding expects its workforce to grow by about 1,500 over an eight- to 10-year period. The $25-billion contracts will provide work for the next 30 years, 11,000 direct and indirect jobs when the project hits its stride in a few years' time.

"For Nova Scotia, the opportunities unlocked by the province's investment in Irving Shipbuilding will create a foundation for the province to contribute, compete and lead - nationally and internationally," said Premier Dexter. "The future starts here."


FOR BROADCAST:

As Irving Shipbuilding prepares to build Canada's fleet of

combat ships, Nova Scotia is getting ready by building a

competitive workforce and economy.

Thanks to a memorandum of understanding signed today

(October 19th), more First Nations, women, African Nova Scotians,

persons with disabilities and other Nova Scotians who are

under represented in the workforce will also be able to take

advantage of opportunities stemming from the shipbuilding

contracts.

The memorandum will create the Irving Shipbuilding Centre of

Excellence at Nova Scotia Community College. Irving Shipbuilding

will contribute 250-thousand dollars each year during the

lifetime of the federal shipbuilding programs to create and

support the centre.

The centre was part of the value proposition portion of

Irving Shipbuilding's bid, and integral to the win.