People are at the heart of what the Manitoba Construction Sector Council (MCSC) does. Though construction may be focused on building structures, that work is done by people and for people.

Likewise, MCSC’s mission of growing the construction sector by training more individuals for jobs in the field presents more than just an opportunity to strengthen their own field, but also the chance to create a fulfilling career and life for many Manitobans.   

MCSC currently places over 150 people in employment in construction-related trades annually, prioritizing individuals from underrepresented groups who are unemployed or underemployed for their training programs. Those efforts will now be getting a boost thanks to a three-year $1.39 million investment from Northpine Foundation, an organization new to Winnipeg that invests in ventures that deliver lasting change for Canada’s most underinvested communities.  

“The Northpine Foundation invests in initiatives that yield meaningful outcomes for people in poverty,” explained Naomi Gichungu, the Foundation’s Impact Director for Winnipeg. “Impact is our currency. We measure our success by how effectively our investments move people out of poverty. We reached out to the MCSC because as a sector council, we know they have good connections to employers, and we knew that they were already working with people on social assistance.” 

 The financing is contingent on achieving several milestone targets that MCSC must achieve, working in partnership with Purpose Construction, Carpenters Local Union 343, and Winnipeg School Division #1. The end goal is 180 Employment Income Assistance (EIA) recipients gaining sustainable employment in construction with 70% of those recipients retaining a full-time job for 12 continuous months or longer.  

To get there, a detailed plan of how to recruit EIA recipients and assist them along the path to a stable job is essential. That starts with targeted recruitment, assessment, and job readiness training. Partnering with Project Manager, Andrea Canada, they’ll perform a needs assessment of participant skill levels, followed by a three-week job readiness program that will cover life skills, assess readiness for work, and determine if additional support is needed.   

“That course will support participants with time management, professionalism, stress management, budgeting, communication, and all the things that can get in the way of work,” said Carol Paul, MCSC Executive Director. “It’s also important for us to give these participants quick successes. Gaining a sense of achievement by finishing this first course in three weeks will help fuel them to keep moving through the program.”  

Following this, participants will take certified construction safety training with the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba (CSAM). Once certified, participants will enroll in technical trades training programs that will be determined with each intake based on the demand for jobs in different trades. The programs available to the first participants starting in January are a 16-week framing course, a 10-week scaffolding course, and a seven-week drywalling and taping course.  

“Making sure that these courses lead to jobs where there is demand is key to this program,” said Paul. “We want these training programs to prepare participants to enter the workforce quickly, but also allow them to explore the trades they’re being trained in and decide if it’s a trade they want to commit to long-term. It gives them a starting point to launch their career from.”  

Upon training completion, participants will be matched with an employer within six weeks, and MCSC is already working with employers like the Manitoba Home Builders Association (MHBA), Winnipeg Construction Association (WCA), and Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) to form an advisory committee to mentor, host job fairs, interview, and hire participants.  

The support for participants will continue past the training stage, too. Each trainee will be paired with a mentor for at least three months. Beyond this phase, MCSC will continue to support each individual as they navigate a career in construction.  

 “We can work with them to advance their careers once they’re employed,” noted Paul. “We can support them to get into Apprenticeship, or advance their careers. MCSC has a Workforce Development Coordinator that works with individuals throughout their careers, and an Education and Training Manager who supports newcomers. Starting with this program, we can address the current labour shortages while also supporting individuals to develop their own careers.”  

That level of support is just one more sign that this investment from Northpine Foundation, and MCSC’s mission as a whole, truly is about building up people.   

Visit MCSC’s website for more information on the program, current training opportunities available, and registration for the program.