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A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
“You can’t be what you can’t see. Heavy construction is a good career and I don’t think we champion that enough.” — Nicole Chabot
MHCA’s website now has a Diversity tab, to serve as a resource for employers, employees and those looking to get into heavy construction. “We want everyone to see the doors to good work, well-paying jobs and benefits and prospective careers are open to all,”
says Jackie Jones, MHCA Education and Diversity Programs Advisor. The Diversity tab of the website offers resources for education and training as well as showcasing employers and employees who work in the industry, with words of advice gained from experience.
“Our industry hasn’t done enough to publicize the opportunities, the history of welcoming newcomers and to open the doors to anyone looking for a solid career start,” says Nicole Chabot, MHCA Board Chair. “But we’re changing that.”
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the First Nation chief and council, suggest who may be inclined to work on a project. “Having the Manitoba Construction Sector Council go in and do preliminary job training, showing ‘this is what you need to expect’, really helps,” Munro says. Construction can involve 12-hour days, and support at home such as day care, is important, as is transportation to the work site. The big thing, however, is mentorship. “Everybody in this business has had mentors. New hires need a mentor from your crew.” Samantha Line was hired earlier this year at Munro’s Lilyfield Quarry as a lab technician. She has worked with Manitoba Infrastructure in the water management division and with Manitoba Hydro, and at the remote Keeyask generating station. Line, 25, wants women to know heavy construction offers great career paths, with many job options and room to advance. “I love the independence that Munro gives me. They’re asking me what I want to do next, to grow with the company,” she says. “It’s not an industry that’s meant for men only. Women can do this just as well as men can.” Abdul Navid Abdul Baqi, a concrete foreman with Bituminex Paving, agrees. Abdul Baqi says the industry is a real opportunity to break into the job market even if you have limited experience in a new country and rudimentary language skills.
“When I came here, my wife was translating for me to my first boss,” says Abdul Baqi, who came to Canada in 2010. His concrete crew is a wide mix of nationalities – Philippines, Poland, Ukraine, China, Ethiopia and Jamaica. Abdul Baqi speaks six languages, reflecting the exposure in his childhood in Afghanistan and countries he lived in. The key is to be willing to learn, and work hard. “My crew is one of the best in the company right now.” The industry has always been a place where newcomers get to work, says MHCA President Chris Lorenc. For example, historically Portuguese workers were drawn to the concrete side of the industry. Over the years, the MHCA’s WORKFORCE™ and WORKSAFELY™ programs have delivered heavy equipment operator training to Indigenous and northern communities, and tailored safety training and education to individual communities and worksites. Dennis Cruise, President and General Manager at Bituminex Paving, says the company some years ago translated its training and safety documents into Portuguese. It’s that type of accommodation that makes space for and helps retain recruits, Cruise notes. “English isn’t the first language of many of our employees,” he says. “Our industry lends itself to diversity. Newcomers are drawn to the work and they are more than welcome.”
Manitoba Women in Trades Conference T06ETHER WE CAN DO IT
SPONSORSHIP & TRADE SHOW BOOTHS ARE NOW AVAILABLE Registration starts on OCTOBER 4TH, 2021 www.mbcsc.com/mwit-conference
-MANITOBA WOMEN IN TRADES �c: MANITOBA CONSTRUCTION s« SECTOR COUNCIL
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