The phone at Jim FitzpatrickB次元官网网址檚 office has been ringing off the hook since word began spreading around the world about Seaspan Marine Corp. winning an $8-billion federal shipbuilding contract.

B次元官网网址淧eople are inquiring about this new construction. TheyB次元官网网址檙e calling from eastern Canada. TheyB次元官网网址檙e calling from Scotland. TheyB次元官网网址檙e calling from Wales,B次元官网网址� said Fitzpatrick, business manager of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Local 191, which represents about 180 workers at Victoria Shipyards in Esquimalt.

In the coming months, about 400 workers will be hired at the Esquimalt-based shipyard, which already employs about 600. Canadians will be hired first, Fitzpatrick said.

Many more will be hired at SeaspanB次元官网网址檚 Vancouver Shipyards and Vancouver Drydock to prepare for the construction of Canadian Coast Guard and non-combat Royal Canadian Navy ships over the next 15 to 20 years.

Efforts are underway to prepare for that massive hiring blitz, which Fitzpatrick said should ramp up in January and February.

Premier Christy Clark announced Nov. 2 that a group of key education, union, government and shipbuilding stakeholders, including Seaspan, will begin meeting later this month.

The new B.C. Shipbuilding and Repair Sector Table is part of ClarkB次元官网网址檚 jobs plan.

Table participants will have the job of ensuring there are enough trained workers to support the construction of the ships, which is expected to create and sustain 4,000 direct and indirect jobs in B.C.

The premier touted the long-term jobs that B次元官网网址� thanks to the federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 $33-billion shipbuilding contracts B次元官网网址� lie ahead for workers in the industry.

The $8-billion contract B次元官网网址渂egins to build a shipbuilding industry,B次元官网网址� Clark told workers at the Victoria Shipyards last week. B次元官网网址淚t creates that platform so that not just this generation in this room can look forward to years of work, but their kids can.B次元官网网址�

To Fitzpatrick, new construction offers the promise of long-term work.

In the past six years, employment for shipbuilding tradespeople has been B次元官网网址渢opsy-turvyB次元官网网址� since lucrative long-term contracts were few and far between, he said.

B次元官网网址淥nce you get new construction, thereB次元官网网址檚 stability,B次元官网网址� said Fitzpatrick. B次元官网网址淭his announcement is tremendous for young families here.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com