February 18, 2010

Skills training

Construction Sector Council unveils jobsite mentoring program

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

A new Construction Sector Council mentorship tool will help the industry retain the skills and expertise found at jobsites as large retirement numbers loom over the next eight years.

“Mentoring is not a particularly new concept — our industry has known for some time that mentoring is an important aspect of that on-the-job training component,” said Rosemary Sparks, Senior Director of Planning and Development at CSC. “What we are trying to do is to formalize it a bit and provide some flexible resources companies can use, to the extent they think is appropriate, in their particular size of organization.”

The national mentoring program, developed with the help of an industry advisory council, is generic in nature and not trades-specific.

With 80 per cent of training happening “on the job” a large skills gap could result with an estimated 200,000 construction workers expected to retire between 2010 and 2018, said CSC.

“As a longer-term vision, we see this as the beginning step for those looking for a career path in construction.

“If you think about it, some of the skills as a mentor are some of the skills you need as supervisor or foreman,” explained Sparks.

“These mentors have their technical skills already, and we are adding another level of skills to not just pass on knowledge but also set a beginning stage for other opportunities and moving up the ladder.”

The mentoring package contains six key steps to mentoring such as identifying the point of the lesson, linking lessons to other experiences, demonstrations and providing opportunity for feedback.

The program’s structure helps achieve valuable lessons for both the mentor and apprentice, said Sparks.

In order for an apprentice to benefit, they need to know what is expected of them and what their role is in that learning process.

“What we had heard is that mentoring was not being done in a formalized way and individuals may not be benefitting from that transfer of skill and knowledge,” she noted.

The mentoring program was piloted in Saskatchewan during summer and fall 2009 with great success and the Manitoba Building and Construction Trades Council has begun sharing the program’s learner’s handbook, modules, mentor’s handbook and other materials.

“When it comes to construction, nothing can replace on the job experience,” said Paul McLellan, the head of Saskatchewan’s apprenticeship commission.

“The mentorship program allows for the transfer of skills, in a systemic way, from one generation of workers to the next. It is relevant to the needs of today’s construction workforce, and easy to put into practice in the workplace.”

McLellan, also the CEO of Alliance Energy, said “the benefit of the program is the connection formed between the individuals involved. As with any teacher/student relationship, if properly done, this bond will last forever and provide knowledge transfer through generations.”

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