International Operating Engineer - Fall 2019

Canadian News
Red Seal Chef Teaching Tricks
of the Trade to Secondary Students
Chad says he has taught 2,800
students since he started in Culinary
Arts as a certified Red Seal chef.
“Numerous students have
succeeded both in the industry and
elsewhere because of the lessons they
learned here,” he said.
one Culinary Arts course per term,
spending three to four hours a week
in the teaching cafeteria, others keenly
take three, putting in 12 hours a week.
But Culinary Arts - an elective
course - isn’t just for aspiring Iron
Chefs.
“Most students come to learn to
cook,” Chad explains, adding that many
start as school cafeteria customers.
“Generally, the response from kids
who eat in the cafeteria is to say: ‘I want
to take this course!’”
Chad also points out Culinary Arts
helps stxudents with special needs
get a first job in the fast food industry
because of what they learn.
And every September, Chad sees
many students who have previously
taken Culinary Arts return again.
“A lot take it again because they like
it so much - it’s hands on practical -
there’s always something tangible and
there’s always more to learn,” he said.
Chef Chad is a member of IUOE
Local 963, who proudly represents
school custodians, building engineers,
supervision aides and cafeteria
workers since 1945. IUOE represented
staff plays an integral part of the
Vancouver public-school system, they
are the support system that keeps the
schools running seamlessly so students
are able to be in a quality learning
environment.
“The students get priceless
information from my experiences.
Some come back and see me and
several students have gone pretty high
in the culinary trade - maybe 100 or
more.”
Local 115 Building Stronger Communities
in British Columbia
WHEN CHEF CHAD STUART
teaches his Culinary Arts program
students at Vancouver Technical
Secondary School each day, he brings a
world of cooking experiences to them.
That’s because Chad has travelled
and cooked professionally in countries
as different as Switzerland and Japan, as
well as working in some of Vancouver’s
top restaurants before joining Van Tech
in 2001.
“Even as a kid I wanted to be a
chef,” Chad says. He attended culinary
school at British Columbia Institute
of Technology (BCIT), then worked
overseas and in Banff in major hotel
kitchens before returning to four-star
Vancouver restaurants like Il Giardino
and Bistro Pastis and then Van Tech.
“I found it was an interesting
opportunity to teach and share my
knowledge - if I couldn’t teach, I
wouldn’t be here,” he explains. “Public
school is a gateway into your adult
career, especially if you aren’t going to
university. It’s about opening kids’ eyes
to opportunities.”
[above] Local 963 member Chef Chad
Stuart with some of the 2,800 Culinary Arts
he has taught in Vancouver schools.
[article] IUOE Local 963 President Tim
Chester
“It’s basically a culinary school in
a high school, where you learn things
you’ll keep using forever. They learn
what food is, how to shop for food,
healthy eating habits and more.”
That’s why while most students take
Local 963 Board Ready to Serve
[above] The Executive Board of Local 963 (Vancouver, BC) was sworn in at its General
Membership meeting held September 7, 2019 by Local 882 Business Manager Adrian
David (far right).
(L to R] Tim Chester, President, Chad Stuart, Bruce Olson, Antoinette Cominetti, Harjit
Khangura, Analida Leung, Livia Hisaoka, Herman Sheng, Paul Loeman, Business Manager
Tim De Vivo, Adrian David. (not pictured: Yvette Menges)
INVESTING IN TRAINING,
bringing more women members onto
worksites, and building ties with First
Nations communities continue to be
a high priority for Local 115 in British
Columbia.
This comes as the demand for
skilled labour grows, especially for
the upcoming large projects, like the
Trans Mountain Pipeline and Canada
LNG development. Local 115 plays a
leadership role in these initiatives along
with the new Community Benefits
Agreement (CBA) model, which will
help ensure that apprenticeship and
equity employment targets are being
met.
Local 115 Business Manager and
International Trustee Brian Cochrane
said he’s proud of the way the union is
facing the challenges of a skilled labour
shortage.
“Not just facing them,” Cochrane
said, “but also helping to solve them
with the support of our members and
our industry partners.”
Local 115 President Wayne Mills
says he’s seeing stronger relations with
[above] General President Callahan swears in members of the Local 115 Executive Board.
First Nations communities develop
as the demand for trained workers
increases, including for LNG projects.
“We have a lot of manpower, but
we still need qualified people to fill
positions,” Mills said.
“We’re working a lot with the
Gitxaala Nation right now and there’s
a couple other First Nations that are
watching to see what happens and
then they will probably get onboard,”
he said.
CBAs already a success
Local 115 Assistant Business
Manger Josh Towsley said since
the BC government announced the
introduction of CBAs last year, the
program is already starting to be
incorporated into major projects.
“So far we’ve been awarded
the Highway One expansion from
Kamloops to the Alberta border. The
...Continued from page 22
22 INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER
FALL 2019
23