{"id":5069,"date":"2022-07-23T11:57:52","date_gmt":"2022-07-23T15:57:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluedoor.ca\/?p=5069"},"modified":"2023-08-03T16:02:50","modified_gmt":"2023-08-03T20:02:50","slug":"blue-door-seeks-to-solve-labour-shortages-by-training-vulnerable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluedoor.ca\/blue-door-seeks-to-solve-labour-shortages-by-training-vulnerable\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Door seeks to solve labour shortages by training vulnerable"},"content":{"rendered":"
Posted: July 23rd, 2022. By: Joseph Quigley, newmarkettoday.ca, Original Article.\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/div>\n
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‘Everybody really wins,’ shelter charity CEO says of program that trains for construction sector<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Markham resident Darnell Preddie said getting into\u00a0Blue Door\u2019s Construct program helped him turn his life around.<\/p>\n

The program from the York Region\u00a0charity offers its vulnerable denizens the chance to get job training in the construction sector, an area in significant need of workers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was homeless and unemployed before I got into the program,\u201d Preddie, now a full-time mason, said. \u201cWhat I learned from Construct has taken my life to the next step \u2026 I received numerous offers for work because it stood out on my resume and I am forever grateful for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the job market faces labour shortages, Blue Door\u00a0says there is an opportunity to train those in need of work. The charity started\u00a0its Construct program two years ago, helping 116 graduates since then break into the labour market. It recently got another funding boost from RBC, with a $100,000 grant going to help ensure participants can be paid a living wage during the eight-week training.<\/p>\n

Blue Door CEO Michael Braithwaite said it has been \u201cthe single biggest change-maker program\u201d for them.<\/p>\n

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\u201cYouth go through who are getting meaningful work, making a meaningful living wage,\u201d he said. \u201cAt the same time, getting into the trades, which are desperately needing people to help us build more housing. Everybody really wins.\u201d<\/p>\n

The program was inspired by issues with other programs, Braithwaite said. He said vulnerable individuals would go into jobs and struggle with wages or not have meaningful work.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt didn\u2019t lift them out of poverty. It actually kind of diminished hope,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Construct was also inspired by a similar initiative called Building Up Toronto, which helped kickstart\u00a0Blue Door\u2019s version. Braithwaite said Construct soon saw success, with 85 per cent of graduates finding employment within six weeks of completing the training.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t truly end homelessness if you don\u2019t prevent it from starting in the first place,\u201d he said. \u201cIt gives them the tools to get a career where they can make enough to afford rent in the GTA, (and)\u00a0where they have purpose and meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matthew Marcoccia of Richmond Hill is another graduate from 2020, now working as a general contractor. He is\u00a0helping build York University\u2019s new campus in Markham.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe thing that excited and impressed me the most was the team atmosphere, as the leadership team genuinely cared and had a passion for the program,\u201d Marcoccia said. \u201cMany of the mentors had previous construction experience and were able to support me along the way when working on a job site.\u201d<\/p>\n

An RBC study showed Canada could face a shortage of at least 10,000 workers nationally in recognized Red Seal trades over the next five years, which the company said swells tenfold when including 250 provincially regulated trades.<\/p>\n

The program stands to help build needed homes, Braithwaite said, but he added this model could be used in other sectors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe health-care sector right now desperately needs a lot of support or personal support workers,\u201d he said. \u201cColleges or universities that could help with those labour shortages, help get them back. At the same time, get people into a great job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blue Door is looking to expand the Construct program to other locales, including\u00a0through a partnership with Home Depot<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy\u00a0dream for Construct is its building a lot of the affordable housing that\u2019s needed in the future,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s really helping and being a part of the solution in the housing crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t have wanted to miss the opportunity for the world,\u201d Preddie said. \u201cIt is a great opportunity for anyone considering getting ahead in life.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Posted: July 23rd, 2022. By: Joseph Quigley, newmarkettoday.ca, Original Article.\u00a0\u00a0 ‘Everybody really wins,’ shelter charity CEO says of program that trains for construction sector Markham resident Darnell Preddie said getting into\u00a0Blue Door\u2019s Construct program helped him turn his life around. The program from the York Region\u00a0charity offers its vulnerable denizens the chance to get job […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t