Manitoba Heavy Construction Association

wednesdaY march 23, 2016 9 A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS LARGESTINNORTHAMERICA With20,000acresofprimeindustriallandslocatedintheheartofthe continent,CentrePortCanadaisNorthAmerica'slargesttri-modal inlandport. $220MILLIONINNEWPRIVATEINVESTMENT 44newcompaniesbuildingoperationsonmorethan250acres. CENTREPORTCANADARAILPARK TheRailParkisindevelopmenton700acres,providingindustrialspacefor rail-intensivebusinessandconnectiontoclassIrailservice. CENTREPORTCANADA.CA L.ChabotEnterprisesLtd. fullyqualifiedforawiderangeofconstructionservices www.chabotenterprises.ca •Sand&Gravel •CustomCrushing:Base,Stone, Granite&Limestone •Trucking•HeavyEquipmentRentals •RoadConstruction•FloodProtection •ExcavationProjects•EarthworkProjects Tel:(204)224-1565|Fax:(204)222-4754 Email:nicole@chabotenterprises.ca I n 2014, Hugh Munro Construction Ltd. and Berens River First Nation's Meemeeweesipi Construction forged a joint venture that included a training component to prepare the local workforce for drilling, labour and heavy equipment operator jobs. Now, a unique Blaster in Training Certificate program is on the launch pad, thanks to a partnership between the Manitoba Construction Sector Council (MCSC), Berens River First Nation, Hugh Munro Construction and blasting experts Austin Powder. MCSC indigenous liaison Ron Castel says the curriculum and training videos are being completed and MCSC has already delivered job- readiness training. "There's pre-employment and there's life skills, but I don't call it that, I call it job readiness because that's what we're doing, getting them ready to go to work," Castel says. "Basically, we're getting the community ready to take up responsibility for their community projects." Two years ago, MCSC provided mentorship training for Hugh Munro and Meemeeweesipi Construction staff, along with job-readiness training for 19 local workers, including three women, two of whom went on to train as heavy equipment operators. The East Side Road Authority has a 30% local hiring requirement, which is far exceeded by Hugh Munro Construction. Castel says the training programs are a win for the community and the industry. When other companies are awarded construction contracts in the area, they'll have access to a pool of experienced equipment operators, blasters, drillers and skilled labourers. "They don't have to bring in their workers and the local workforce is ready for opportunities. And they understand the commitment, they understand what's required of them, they understand that at the end of the day it's a good paycheque," he says. "So it builds a good economic base of money staying in the community, and therefore it builds up good role models and so forth, so there's big effects from this one training program that we did in regards to the job readiness." MCSC is mandated to identify and deliver, or facilitate delivery of, the education needs of the construction industry. This includes pre-employment skills training to Gold Seal- accredited programs for construction supervisors. It was formed in 2009 by five associations: The Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, Construction Association of Rural Manitoba, Manitoba Building and Construction Trades Council, Manitoba Home Builders' Association and the Winnipeg Construction Association. Castel says job-readiness training covers a broad range of topics, from time management to work ethics, and there's a strong focus on building a professional pool of workers who are also role models in their communities. "We want to make sure we empower the employers but also empower the community to take on these jobs and be self-sufficient, and in order to do that we have to educate the community about their role." ❚ working partnerships Training programs benefit industry and communities construction of an all-season road is bringing a world of opportunity to fly-in first nation coMMunities on tHe east side of lake winnipeg. and tHe road runs botH ways, providing a MucH-needed local workforce for tHe Heavy construction industry. berens river first nation chief jackie everett (third from right) and hugh munro construction ltd. owner colleen munro with meemeeweesipi construction students who took part in training with the manitoba construction sector council. photos courtesy of manitoba construction sector council

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