Pomerleau Named One of Canada's Top Employers for Fourth Consecutive Year
News, Culture
Mark Nwulu and The Estimation Team
As 21% of the current construction labour force intends to retire by 2033, addressing the labour shortage now more than ever is necessary to facilitate the skills transfer between retiring and new industry professionals.
A fruitful collaboration between OGCA and key stakeholders to support the development of new talent
The Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) developed the ambitious Pathways to ICI program to attract, train, upskill and retain talent in the industrial, commercial and institutional construction sectors. This program is made possible with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD). Focusing on construction management roles, one of the program paths, The New Entrants Bridging program, provides resources and career opportunities to new graduates and newcomers to Canada.
Members of Pomerleau helped develop training resources and curriculum for the program and facilitated classes that focused on building soft skills.
Pomerleau has been amazing and one of the biggest supporters of the program since the day it started.
Pomerleau employees as mentors for the new generation
Field Director, Bernard Whelan helped create one of the curriculums alongside his colleague and Senior Project Manager, Terry Petrie. As a Field Director, Bernard is used to mentoring those on site, but stepping into a classroom to teach the next generation of industry professionals was something he had never done.
I know this sounds cheesy, but I believe in this. I worked hard in this industry. The industry has treated me well, so I feel like I owe it to Pomerleau and the industry to give back whenever I can. The industry deserves to gain the knowledge we have built over the years.
Selvaraj Murugesan and Bernard Whelan
The Upskilling Toolkit is the program path focused on upskilling individuals who are on track to become Project Managers and Site Supervisors. Pomerleau has worked alongside the OGCA and other OGCA members to create and validate the Upskilling Toolkit. The Toolkit focuses on 5 core competencies: Communication, Planning, Organization and Time Management, Problem Solving, Relationship Building, and Conflict Resolution. The Toolkit was recently launched and is being used by the industry including Pomerleau’s employees.
The impact is greater when it comes from experienced people within the industry.
When you give, you receive
The program included a work placement opportunity for participants. Pomerleau initially hired two program members for the placement period and in early September, welcomed Selvaraj Murugesan and Mark Nwulu into full-time roles in project coordination and estimating.
Thanks to the program, my confidence has been boosted exponentially.
The program introduced me to a newfound level of exposure and knowledge about the Canadian construction industry.
Later this year, the OGCA will be launching a new pathway in the program that focuses on career advancement and promotion. Pomerleau is looking forward to continuing to support the next generation of talent as they embark on their career journeys.
