A NEW DAY A NEW DAY - Toronto Construction Association

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Cover Story TCA volunteer Richard Brightling from Albion Architectural experience. The JA curriculum teaches students to be financially responsible and how to plan for their career and life goals – and we complement that program.” TEAMING UP JACO and the TCA first came together last year to discuss the possibility of this kind of program. As the volunteers taught the course, it was expected that they would naturally highlight career opportunities in construction, says Cimino. “Our association’s mission was to highlight the professional job opportunities in construction, and generate greater awareness of them. As we know, opportunities in the construction industry are often overlooked.” The construction industry employs over 1.2 million people in Canada in a variety of careers. In terms of growth, the industry is outpacing the economy, which should make it a natural area of interest for anyone who wants a financially rewarding career. To drive that message home, TCA volunteers had the help of a slick new TCA promotional video called “Careers in Construction.” The concise, contemporary presentation covers the full scope of career options in construction for men 12 | Builders' Digest Quarter 3 2010 and women with a wide range of interests and talents. The video shows people in construction talking about what they do, the training they have and what they like most about their work. The speakers in the video relate their jobs to school subjects and areas of interest that kids can relate to, enabling them to see themselves in the same roles in the future. But instead of becoming overly specialized in its treatment of the industry, the video focuses on the broad vision that goes into putting together the right team to get a construction project completed. The unique blending of creative and analytical talents that construction offers is underlined by examining the roles architects and interior designers play alongside engineers, contractors, skilled tradespeople, skilled labourers and others. The video also points out the opportunities for entrepreneurs, and adds a reminder that a successful career is not all about gain to oneself. It’s important to give back to the community too. REALITY CHECK “Economics for Success” challenges students to think in realistic, practical terms, and to relate the achievement of lifetime goals to decisions that they will have to make soon — and are even making right now. Above all, the main message is that staying in school is the most important thing they can do if they want the broadest range of options later. The program has a practical way of emphasizing that point, says JACO’s Jennifer James. “Kids start with a budget including their necessities and luxuries,” she says. “Of course they want nice cars, vacations, fancy clothing and the latest technology. Then we give them a mock job at minimum wage, and 99 per cent say they can’t support themselves. We talk about debt, but it’s not an option in the program — they have to cover their expenses with their income. This is a reality lesson for most of them.” Having volunteers on hand who could talk about their own careers in construction was a perfect fit. “We encourage volunteers to add their life experience,” James says. ”That’s what really resonates with students — real stories. For the most part, these kids have not had part-time jobs. They don’t realize that an hourly wage is not the same as net earnings and how their expenses will add up. It makes them appreciate home — at least for a little while!” The students were eager to learn about construction, and they had a lot of interesting questions that got volunteers thinking. For example, one asked ‘are you rich’ “So we had to consider for a moment what wealth means and how you measure that,” Davies says. “We had a chance to help kids to follow their dreams and get an education,” he adds. “We also shared how the construction industry is a cool place to be. I’m sure we touched a few minds and hearts at a perfect time for kids to get going towards their careers.” His last word on Construction Day “Boy, it was fun!” |BD
HOUSING The June 8 groundbreaking ceremony for the townhome complex on Kingston Road Hands-On Habitat TCA and Habitat Toronto team up to make home By ROMA IHNATOWYCZ ownership a reality for more city residents IT’S BEEN 22 YEARS SINCE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SET UP shop in Toronto, building housing for needy families across the city. Now, thanks to a new partnership with the Toronto Construction Association (TCA), things have been turned up a notch. With this new alliance, Habitat Toronto expects to dramatically increase the number of houses it constructs in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), making home ownership a reality for far more lowincome families as a result. “In Toronto we’re now building about 50 houses a year, and with the TCA’s help we expect to build 100 a year,” says Neil Hetherington, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Toronto. “We’re going to make that leap. There is a real need out there for hard-working families to have safe, decent, affordable homes.” While Habitat for Humanity regularly partners with various organizations — not to mention the individual families it helps — the collaboration with the TCA is unique. It involves TCA members donating products and services toward the construction of the homes, beginning with a 29-townhome complex in Scarborough. The association’s Young Construction Executive Club (YCEC) has already committed to a goal of $500,000 worth of gifts-in-kind to the residential construction project, which was in the excavation phase at press time. “The difference with this partnership is that the TCA is really working to engage its members not only to donate money, but to donate the products they manufacture and the services they deliver,” says Hetherington. WIN-WIN PARTNERSHIP The TCA’s president John Mollenhauer is equally pleased with the arrangement, and the opportunity it provides to TCA members to help those in need of decent housing. “We like that Habitat for Humanity creates opportunities for families to help themselves,” says Mollenhauer. “That is our kind of charity. It’s not just about handing out money, but helping families with home ownership.” Unlike many other charities, Habitat for Humanity works on a model that allows individuals and families to help themselves by enlisting them to donate 500 volunteer hours in the construction of their new home. Habitat also extends interest-free loans for the properties, which means that homeowners can pay them off without the heavy burden of fluctuating interest rates or demanding qualification requirements. A number of TCA members have already stepped up to the plate with support, including PCL, EllisDon, and Dufferin Concrete, which will be providing all the concrete for the project. Mollenhauer stresses that the beauty of the arrangement between the two organizations lies in the fact that smaller TCA business members can make meaningful contributions through their goods or services, without having to pony up large sums of money not necessarily readily available to them. “It struck us when we first started talking to Habitat that there was a more meaningful way that we could help than just delivering cash contributions,” explains Mollenhauer. “Instead of our members putting up money so that Habitat will have the wherewithal to build the project, we are looking to help Builders' Digest Quarter 3 2010 | 13
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A NEW DAY A NEW DAY - Toronto Construction Association

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