Construction Foundation of British Columbia
215 - 963 Langford Parkway V9B 0A5 Victoria, BC, Canada

The Construction Foundation of BC’s (CFBC) Welcome Exchange initiative and Here IN Canada co-hosted an online edition of the annual Employment Opportunity Exchange (EOE) this November. The EOE is an annual event that gathers employers, newcomers, and immigrants in one space to understand and discuss jobseeker needs and assets. The EOE provides participants with an opportunity to build relationships, as well as participate in facilitated discussions to share experiences, and a...ddress barriers and misconceptions. Hosted on the unceded Coast Salish Territory of the Lekwungen and WSÁNE nations, this year’s virtual EOE saw 35 participants connecting with four employers from the Greater Victoria region. It was great to have collaboration with the Construction Foundation of BC and other market players in this year’s Exchange Employment Opportunity event, said Dr. Shahinaz Abdellatif. The EOE was moderated by Danyelle Catini, an indigenous woman from Brazil who recently arrived in Canada. A strategic communicator specializing in business marketing, coaching and facilitating collaborations. Danyelle hosted the morning’s activities which included a Cultural Intelligence Keynote from Karima Ramji, a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) professional at the University of Victoria, as well as a Newcomer Panel Discussion on Cultural Intelligence that featured panelists Asiyah Robinson, Kabir Hosein, Leon Ling and Sergio Ramos. A brief break in the schedule allowed time for some live music, with two songs performed by internationally recognized violinist and alumnus of the University of Victoria’s English Language Centre, Sari Alesh. Alesh’s experience as an artist includes touring with the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra. Following the music, Brazilian-Canadian Daniela Pinto, who has resided in Canada for the past seven years, shared a story of her experience to leave home and start a new life in Canada. The Welcome Exchange initiative provides newcomers on Vancouver Island with resources, tools, and events to help them establish themselves in their new community through education, employment and community connections. For more information on the Welcome Exchange program, including upcoming Cultural Sharing Workshops, please visit www.constructionfoundation.ca/we. Web Feature: https://bit.ly/37836dY Here Magazine | Welcome Exchange

What is it like to have support from the industry when considering a career in the trades? Full 'Industry Interview': http://ow.ly/OWea50Cm7k7 Industry Training Authority | Skills Ready

This week’s ‘Industry Interview’ features tradeswomen Amanda Steiner and Rebekah Ray, who are carving out a name for themselves after getting into the trades trades while attending Salmon Secondary and participating in a Skills Ready’s Showcase Event in 2017. . . . The pair entered the trades following high school and have big plans for their future. Amanda’s father operates a local construction company in Salmon Arm, while her cousin Rebekah grew up on a farm. Both factors h...ave contributed to the duo deciding that a career in construction was the right route to take. . . . I never really wanted to go to school and be a doctor or something like that, said Ray. I always wanted to do something hands on. . . . For Amanda, the passion for the work she is doing has grown quickly. . . . I definitely didn’t know [what I wanted to do out of high school], said Steiner. It was something that the more I did it, the more I fell in love with it, the more I got into the planning aspect of it. Seeing a house come together start to finish, that’s when I really started to actually enjoy it and fully get into it. . . . The pair reflected on the Skills Ready Showcase event back in 2017 and the influence it played on their decision to enter the trades. Coordinated by Skills Ready Career Catalyst, Dave Lovisa, Showcase events bring together employers and participants to encourage dialogue around employment and bridge the gap between students interested in the trades and the industry workforce. . . . Read more: http://ow.ly/jgyj50Cm6B4 | Skills Ready See more

We are thrilled to partner with Here Magazine to deliver the 2020 Employment Opportunity Exchange (EOE) event - in a completely online format - on Tuesday, November 17th. Over the past two years, our organizations have come together in support of welcoming and inclusive job markets and have seen some amazing new connections happen for participants - personally and professionally. IF YOU, or someone you know, is a newcomer looking for a unique place to connect with like minded... people, encourage them to reach out to our Welcome Exchange team! We have a few spaces left for Tuesday's event! We also want to share that the EOE is made possible by commitments from newcomers and employers across the South Island! Thank you to everyone involved in making this event possible.

Lest we forget. #RemembranceDay #ThankYou

This week, Skills Ready Career Catalyst Dave Lovisa sits down with Summerland Secondary School educators Charles Lay and Nick Kast. All three were involved in Summerland’s recent hosting of a Skills Ready Showcase event, intended to connect students with potential employers from industry. . . . The trio open the latest Industry Interview session with a discussion on the benefits of the Showcase events and the positive influence they can have on both the student participants, ...as well as the school and their workshops. . . . The main outcomes I felt with the students and talking with the students afterwards was the fact that they met businesses from the community, explained Lay. That they were able to actually talk with ownersthere were people from the community that were willing to come in and see what they were up to and have an interest in them going into the trades or get into summer work" . . . Full Interview: http://ow.ly/TsDo50C9le0 . . . #IndustryInterviews #ConstructionFoundation #SkilledTrades | Skills Ready See more

Can you describe the outcomes of a Skills Ready Showcase event ‘Industry Interviews’ with educators Charles Lay and Nick Kast: http://ow.ly/4UDt50CaKcs #IndustryInterviews | Skills Ready