Edmonton’s Women Building Futures recently welcomed the first round of students into its newly developed, 17-week Heavy Equipment Operator course.
Women in construction
Edmonton’s Women Building Futures (WBF) recently welcomed the first round of students into its newly developed, 17-week Heavy Equipment Operator course, an approved Integrated Training Program with the Province of Alberta in co-operation with Olds College.
Up to 16 graduates will receive an operator’s certificate from Olds College and WBF certificate of completion. Heavy Equipment Operators are not a recognized trade in Alberta.
WBF is a non-profit charitable organization that aims to develop economic independence for women through training programs, employment, and mentorship in trades careers. It has been working with Olds College since 2008 to develop the program in response to interest from potential participants and employers in the industrial sector.
Wanda Wetterberg, chief operating officer for WBF, says many industrial sectors are acknowledging that women represent 50 percent of the available workforce, yet only occupy four percent of the construction and oil and gas sector jobs.
“We are very committed to opening that world up to women so they can establish careers in a different field,” says Wetterberg.
The basic operator’s training is delivered over nine weeks and covers graders, dozers, excavators, and rollers.
Students will also study soils, excavation math, blueprint reading, and workplace culture. The two-week safety certification component covers Confined Space Awareness, H2S Alive, Petroleum Safety (PST), Standard First Aid and CPR Level 1, Transportation of Dangerous Goods Safety Certificate (TDG) and WHMIS.
The additional safety component will arm graduates with a competitive edge, says Patti McJannet, human relations for Sureway Construction.
In exchange for first dibs on the graduates, Sureway Construction donated the use of eight machines and 15 undeveloped acres of its storage and repair site in Villeneuve just outside of Edmonton for the operators portion.
“We’ve been challenged in the past to recruit and retain good employees, and by sponsoring this program it is a commitment to the industry to raise the level of professionalism,” says McJannet. “It was the right thing to do.”
The program has full support from the Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association, which will assist with placement.
Heidi Harris, director of public affairs for ARHCA says owners of heavy construction companies like having women on their crews because they create a different workplace dynamic that raises the productivity and minimizes conflict. “Some even say they are easier on machines,” she says.
A decrease in workload for the industry caused by the economic downturn is anticipated to make hiring more competitive, says Harris, but the association remains committed to its goal to place all of the graduates.
“We know Women Building Futures is a highly respected group, and the students are well-screened, top-quality individuals,” she says.
The first class will graduate at the end of September and another two classes will begin in November.
WBF also offers a 17-week pre-trades journeywoman’s anchor program six times a year, which covers essential skills of seven different trades, as well as workplace culture conditioning.
“We will see the economy pick up in 2010,” says Wetterberg, “so it’s a good time to get in and get trained and be ready.”
Recent Comments
comments for this post are closed