Construction Boot Camp is an 80-hour program hosted by Merit Construction Association in Edmonton.
EDMONTON
Construction Boot Camp is an 80-hour program hosted by Merit Construction Association in Edmonton.
The aim of the program, according to employment coordinator Jay Bortnick, is to get people who are marginally or under-employed into the construction industry, as well as those who are currently employed but interested in switching careers.
“It’s not training for a specific trade, but it’s a good overview of the industry,” Bortnick said.
One of the main components of the Boot Camp is a 24-hour module that serves as an introduction to the construction industry and gives an overview of small tools and other equipment, presented by a qualified journeyman.
Participants in the boot camp also go through basic tests in math and measurement, with an emphasis on what Bortnick called “trades math.”
“It’s startling to see people getting 10 out of 20 on what is basically a Grade 8 quiz, but sometimes you find people who don’t know how to read a tape measure,” he said.
But he emphasized the Boot Camp process uses a series of tests and a rigorous application process to make sure those coming out of the camp are first-rate candidates.
“We had 100 applicants combined for our last two Boot Camps, and we finished with 11 in the first and 16 in the second,” he said.
Safety is another key module in the boot camp process, and eight hours of first aid are included in the 24-hour safety module, Bortnick said.
Also included are the industry standard Construction Safety Training System (CSTS) and the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). An overview of workplace culture and employability skills is also part of the course.
Once people have gone through the process, Merit makes sure to connect potential workers to Merit member companies.
“We don’t want to just train them and let them go. We let (member) companies know we’ve got students, and it creates a little competition to get students. As well, some graduates are pro-active and use our member directory to contact companies themselves,” Bortnick said.
Students range in age from recent high-school graduates to those in their mid-50’s looking to shift careers, and Bortnick said older students made up a majority of applicants.
“The overwhelming amount of people in the program are in a career transition mode. We’ve had a teacher go through the program, as well as someone previously employed by revenue Canada,” Bortnick said.
And though those going through the program didn’t have construction experience, many do have management skills that can potentially fill a much-needed niche in the industry.
“A 22-year-old journeyman just doesn’t have the life experience that someone who has had management jobs in a warehouse or a restaurant has,” Bortnick said.
The next boot camp is scheduled for sometime in October.
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