Nearly 25 youth got a hands-on look at careers in the construction industry on July 22, 2026, when the Construction Association of PEI visited local SEAM programs in Montague and Charlottetown. The session used a virtual reality experience to let participants explore skilled trades in an interactive way, part of a push to connect young people with employment pathways in a sector facing a major worker shortage.
SEAM is a summer initiative run by ResourceAbilities that helps youth aged 15 to 17 build work and life skills while encouraging them to finish high school and think about post-secondary education.
Province-wide, Prince Edward Island could be short more than 6,000 skilled workers by 2035 across several fields, including construction, according to a December 2025 labour market assessment by Stiletto Consulting. In response, CAPEI runs multiple programs to attract new workers, such as Youth in Trades, Skilled Newcomers in Construction, and Discover Carpentry.
The Town of Three Rivers, formed in 2018 through the amalgamation of seven communities including Montague, is the largest municipality in Kings County. It has seen a 10 per cent population increase between 2016 and 2021, reaching 7,883 residents. Local youth programs like SEAM are seen as key to building the area’s future workforce.
CAPEI represents roughly 190 construction companies across the Island and has been using virtual reality as an outreach tool since at least 2021. The association’s mission is to promote and advance the interests of the construction industry in the province.
