Construction skills aren’t inherited; they’re learned. That’s a mentality that is foundational at All-Fab Building Components, and it’s powered them to be a workplace that is welcoming to employees of many backgrounds.

Parwinder Singh, originally from the Punjab region of India, has experienced that firsthand. He has worked at All-Fab for five years and currently serves as a production team leader who trains new employees and completes quality inspections. But he didn’t come to Canada with any construction or manufacturing experience.

“I didn’t even know how to use a tape measure at the beginning,” said Singh. “I also wasn’t very fluent in English, and they helped me with that too. It’s a very friendly environment here.”

Singh’s story isn’t a unique one at All-Fab. The Western Canada manufacturer of roof trusses, floors, walls, and other building systems has hired many Canadian newcomers throughout their history.

“We’ve always been strong believers in not stereotyping,” said Dave Penner, Operations Manager at All-Fab. “We don’t care where people come from or what accent they have or what colour their skin is. If we feel they can be a safe, productive member of our team, then we’ll bring them in and give them a shot.”

That approach has made them one of the top employers for Manitoba Construction Sector Council’s Northpine Foundation funded training programs for Employment and Income Assistance recipients. They’ve hired seven employees from the program thus far.

Isshaq Badour, who came to Canada from Chad in 2024, recently graduated from the program and has been working at All-Fab for four months now. His experience of joining All-Fab mirrors Singh’s.

“I had no experience in construction when I came here,” said Badour. “In the MCSC course, we learned to cut, measure, and use tools like circular saws, squares, and chalk lines. At All-Fab, I received further training and am now part of the team that manufactures roof systems.”

The training that Singh and Badour received is the same that everyone receives at All-Fab. No matter how experienced a new hire is, they won’t touch a tool until they’ve been through their training programs and procedures.

“The top three priorities in our business are safety, quality, and productivity, in that order,” noted Penner. “We’ve found that if we’re safe with our staff and build a quality product, the productivity comes without asking.”

That culture of safety isn’t just talk, even though talking and communication are a significant component of safety.

All-Fab doesn’t require fluency in English, but everyone needs to understand safety calls like “move” or “help”. They use bilingual translators—employees like Singh who can understand both English and Punjabi—for more complex communications at team meetings, and offer English language training through Enhanced English Skills for Employment, a federal government program.

“Employees take either a basic course, or an advanced course that incorporates some of our procedures,” explained Penner. “These skills are applicable beyond just our workplace. They allow people to do things like go to the grocery store and ask where the milk is.”

Cultural integration doesn’t stop with language. They ensure everyone feels included and taken care of.

“Because we’ve got such a large Punjabi community here, we celebrate Diwali,” said Penner. “The same way that we celebrate Truth & Reconciliation Day, or Christmas with a luncheon in the factory, we celebrate Diwali too. We also permit employees to take leaves of absence, when appropriate, to allow people to go back home to visit family.”

Being treated like any other employee is what means the most to Singh.

“On the job, All-Fab doesn’t treat us as if we’re from a different culture,” he said. “They make newcomers feel welcomed, just like anyone else.”

The fact that All-Fab employs many people from the Punjabi community certainly helps Singh feel more at home too. But it also comes back to safety for All-Fab.

“If a newcomer feels they don’t have people around them that they relate to, they can get quiet and they don’t ask questions,” noted Penner. “They do things that might be considered unsafe because they think that’s what the company wants from them.”

Instead, the newcomers All-Fab has hired consistently deliver exactly what they need.

“Our newcomers tend to be very appreciative of their jobs,” said Penner. “They show up every day, they work overtime if you ask them, and they put their head down and get the job done. That’s been a real benefit to our company.”

Clearly, the secret to building stronger structures isn’t just in the beams and trusses. It’s in the people holding the tools, and the culture that keeps them safe, included, and empowered to do their best.