Construction Industry Training Network

Training for a future in construction

Getting ready to take your Carpentry Red Seal Exam? We have the course for you!

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Getting ready to take your Red Seal Exam in Carpentry and want to refresh your knowledge? We can help!

On November 23 to 25, we are offering an exam preparation course in Victoria aimed at helping you brush up on the theory that you’ll need when you write your exam to become a Red Seal-designated Carpenter. This intensive three-day session is perfect for people who have met the Industry Training Authority (ITA) challenge requirements or who have failed the exam on their previous attempts.

In order to write the exam, you will need to have a minimum of 9,720 hours of workplace experience in the trade, or have completed all four years of technical training plus 6,480 hours of workplace training. You also must have an exam challenge application approved by the ITA. For more information and to register, click here.

For a full list of our upcoming courses, visit www.trainingnetwork.ca/courses.

Have a question? Let us know! Contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Free Trades Training!

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Are you looking to start a new career in the trades? CITN is offering free training in the ironworking industry in the Lower Mainland!ironworking-photo-small

Our program is four weeks long, Monday to Friday, and includes both classroom, online and job site training. Here are the certificates you will receive:

– Occupational First Aid Level 1
– Confined Space Awareness
– CSTS-09 (Construction Safety Training System)
– Fall Protection
– Preventing Workplace Violence
– Effective Communication for Improved Site Safety
– Managing Stress in the Workplace

You will also receive several days of training on the job site and at the pre-fabrication yard in rebar basics and rebar tying. The best part? The only things you have to provide are your own transportation (but we can help you find the best transit routes) and your own Personal Protective Equipment (hard hat, work gloves, steel-toed boots, high-visibility vest and safety glasses).

At the end of the program, you will receive an apprenticeship with one of our member companies as a reinforcing ironworker.

Interested? Contact us at info@trainingnetwork.ca for more information! Participants must be legally able to work in Canada and have a valid Social Insurance Number.

 

The Apprentice: Not just for Donald Trump

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Perhaps the word “Apprentice” brings up memories of a reality show starring a certain U.S. presidential candidate, but it shouldn’t. Apprentices are at the core of the trades in British Columbia, and indeed throughout Canada. Current apprentices will be tomorrow’s highly skilled tradespeople, responsible for building the roads we drive on, constructing the buildings we live and work in, and repairing the services we can’t live without.

About 90 percent of apprenticeship training happens on the job site, allowing apprentices to earn money while they learn their trade. According to a recent story from Media Planet’s Industry and Business, “Apprenticeships and other hands-on post-secondary programs serve the construction industry by providing an optimum balance between theory and hands-on experience.” Not only do apprentices learn the actual skills they will need throughout their career, they also learn teamwork and communication skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

[Read more…]

Getting a female perspective

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Women make up roughly 50 percent of the world’s population, and yet only approximately 10 percent of apprentices in the trades are women. That needs to change.

We were able to attend a recent presentation by the Industry Training Authority called “Women On The Tools: Hiring and training women in the trade industry.” The event brought together a panel of industry professionals to discuss how the industry can benefit from women in the trades, and tips for employers looking to hire women on their job sites.

Some of those tips included connecting women with others in the industry. One of the issues that many women face in the trades is being the only female on the job, and that can be nerve-wracking. Women who are already established in their career in the trades can act as mentors for both men and women who are starting out, offering assistance and different perspectives.women in construction

One panelist recounted the story of being the first woman in the company, and how the male employees were told to clean up their work space and remove any photos or items that could be deemed demeaning or sexist. While the boss’ heart was in the right place, the panelists agreed that it was the worst thing he could have done, as the woman was blamed for making everyone else change their behaviour despite the request not coming from her.
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Building a future for youth in trades

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As B.C.’s population ages, employers in the trades are considering who will succeed them when they retire. Right now, there are fewer young people entering the workforce than older people leaving, and that’s a concern. Attracting young people to the trades can be an uphill battle; many think careers in the trades are dangerous, dirty, low-paying, or a dead end.

That’s not true, and we’re trying to change that perception. Do you have a story about how you’ve moved along your career path that you think people should hear to counter those misconceptions? Contact us and tell us your story!

According to a recent story in the Journal of Commerce written by Erin Johnston of the Industry Training Authority, today’s youth have many career options available to them, and many of them are in the trades. The ITA’s goal is to “showcase the opportunities that exist in the skilled trades and to engage and encourage youth and their parents to consider these prospective careers.”

Read the entire piece here.

ASSOCIATION PARTNERS

Our Association Partners have provided the CITN with the support and vision necessary to become the central training hub for B.C.’s construction industry. Together they train over 80 percent of the industry and have built the majority of construction projects in B.C.

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