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FINISHING TRADES INSTITUTE OF BC - IUPAT District Council 38

Mentorship Matters: Developing the Skills Necessary to Become a Good Mentee

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Week 3 of our Mentorship series is all about what makes a great mentee!

We are proud of the education our apprentices receive at the FTI of BC.  Our instructors are construction professionals who dedicate their time to passing on their years of experience and knowledge to the next generation of journeypersons.  They work hard every day to make sure that our apprentices are skilled and ready for the jobsite, including being ready to learn from a mentor.  Apprentices are eager to begin work and need good mentors to guide them.  This is why we have decided to rededicate ourselves to the ideals of good mentorship through the “Mentorship Matters” program.

The FTI of BC’s progressive approach to mentoring trains both journeyworkers and apprentices, with the “Mentorship Matters” program.  Developed by SkillPlan, in partnership with the IBEW’s Electrical Joint Training Committee, this forward-thinking collaboration aims to prepare journeyworkers to become effective mentors, and apprentices to develop the skills necessary to become good mentees.

During training at the FTI of BC, apprentices are taught the “Six Skills for Apprentices” and given video examples of what each skill may look like on the job.  Goal-setting, active listening, and engaging with your mentor will help you find success in achieving your Red Seal.  Every qualified journeyperson owes their trade skills to the experienced journeypersons who have mentored them along the way, and you are no different.  One day, you will be the mentor and will train a new apprentice.  You are an active part of the mentor/mentee partnership and your willingness to learn and take direction will help you build confidence and learn to work safely and efficiently on the tools. 

A good mentor is respected for their skill and knowledge in their chosen craft and is a great benefit to an apprentice.  They are committed to taking the time to work with you to instill their values of a job-well-done and to help you graduate with a solid foundation in your trade.  The short video below features some of our hardworking apprentices describing the essential skills necessary to be a good mentee.  Mentors want to help you reach your highest potential and to encourage you to take ownership of your learning and apprenticeship. We believe in you!    

We will be sharing video clips and information over the next couple of weeks, to show the value of the work that mentors do and the ways in which a mentee can benefit from on the job instruction.

For more information on “Mentorship Matters” or how you can participate in training, contact the FTI of BC.

Mentorship Matters: What Makes a Good Mentor? You!

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We at DC 38 believe that good mentors are essential to an apprentice’s successful transition to journeyperson, and the “Mentorship Matters” training program run by the FTI of BC is a great way for you to learn efficient methods for passing on your chosen trade and instilling your work values in your apprentice.

We need good, effective mentors on our jobsites now more than ever.  Hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople from Canada’s construction industry are getting ready to retire, and their extensive knowledge about their craft is going to retire with them.  Being chosen as a mentor is an honour, and journeypersons should be proud to be recognized as an expert and a leader in their field.  Your skills are required and we need you to pass on your dedication to a job-well-done.  This is why we have decided to rededicate ourselves to the ideals of good mentorship through the “Mentorship Matters” program.

The FTI of BC’s progressive approach to mentoring trains both journeyworkers and apprentices, with the “Mentorship Matters” program.  Developed by SkillPlan, in partnership with the IBEW’s Electrical Joint Training Committee, this forward-thinking collaboration aims to prepare journeyworkers to become effective mentors, and apprentices to develop the skills necessary to become good mentees. 

During training at the FTI of BC, mentors are taught the “Six Steps to Mentoring” and given video examples of what each step may look like on the job.  Journeypersons have the opportunity to be a leader with every interaction on the jobsite, and these steps help to build confidence in their ability to train the next generation of apprentices while reinforcing their duty to give back. Every qualified journeyperson owes their trade skills to the experienced journeypersons who have mentored them along the way.

Apprentices need you to help them build their confidence and learn to work safely and efficiently on the tools.  A good mentor is open to communicating with their apprentice, encouraging questions and taking time to reinforce quality work.  The video below features some of our successful, respected mentors reiterating some of the values necessary to making a good mentor.  We know that you, too, can make a positive impact in the life of an apprentice or new employee.

We will be sharing video clips and information over the next couple of weeks, to show the value of the work that mentors do and the ways in which a mentee can benefit from on the job instruction.

For more information on “Mentorship Matters” or how you can participate in training, contact the FTI of BC.

Mentorship Matters: Experienced Journeypersons Essential to On-the-Job Apprentice Training

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We here at the FTI of BC and DC 38, take pride in the education and training our apprentices receive, both at our training facility and with our experienced members on the job.  In fact, we count on those seasoned members to instill our values of hard work, pride in our chosen craft, and dedication to a job well-done into our newest members. 

With the luxury of time being in short supply on almost every project we build, it is essential that our existing Journeyworkers pass along these values and skills in the most efficient way possible. This is why we have decided to rededicate ourselves to the ideals of good mentorship through the “Mentorship Matters” program.

Effective mentorship is essential to the development of an apprentice’s skills and to their success in their chosen trade.  A good mentor on the job helps to guide the apprentice by reinforcing the lessons learned in the classroom, and by passing on the knowledge and expertise they have gained through years of experience.

The FTI of BC’s progressive approach to mentoring trains both Journeyworkers and apprentices, with the “Mentorship Matters” program.  Developed by SkillPlan, in partnership with the IBEW’s Electrical Joint Training Committee, this forward-thinking collaboration aims to prepare Journeyworkers to become effective mentors, and apprentices to develop the skills necessary to become good mentees. 

It is common knowledge that more than 80% of an apprentice’s learning takes place on the job through mentoring relationships.  As a result, mentors have a huge impact on the safety, quality, and productivity of every jobsite.  Every qualified Journeyperson owes their trade skills to the experienced Journeypersons who have mentored them along the way. This essential transfer of knowledge helps perpetuate our crafts and ensures the ongoing evolution of each individual trade.

Many mentor/mentee partnerships develop into lifelong friendships which is reflected in the video that accompanies this article. This is proof positive of the value effective mentorship can have on an individual’s life, as many a mentee can attest to.

Mentors are respected tradespeople who take the time to reach out to each of the apprentices on the jobsite. In construction, time is money which is why effective mentorship is so important.  Mentors help their mentees to learn and grow; they are invaluable to the training process and we need more Journeypersons to do their part by helping in the transfer of skills and knowledge. 

We will be sharing video clips and information over the next couple of weeks, to show the value of the work that mentors do and the ways in which a mentee can benefit from on the job instruction.

For more information on “Mentorship Matters” or how you can participate in training, contact the FTI of BC.

FTI BC AND IUPAT DC 38 CHAMPIONING CHANGE IN WORKPLACE CULTURE WITH BE MORE THAN A BYSTANDER TRAINING

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IUPAT DC38 Local 163 Rep Kevin Weston and President & Director of Training Paddy Byrne presented the Be More Than A Bystander training to the Level 1 and 2 Painting & Decorating class at the FTI BC on Friday, January 31.

This training is essential to creating an inclusive workspace free from gender-based violence and harassment and our team are proud to be a part of moving forward together.

Local 163 Rep Kevin Weston (second from the left) with the class
President & Director of Training Paddy Byrne

FTI BC featured in JOY TV’s Fraser Focus Trades Expo 2019 Video

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JOY TV’s Fraser Focus was at Trades Expo 2019 at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds in Surrey, BC on October 23/24 and spoke with FTI BC about the finishing trades and our hands-on activities.   

Fraser Focus stated that the BC Construction Association have reported a large shortage of skilled tradespeople entering into the industry.  2/3 of the current workforce are over 45 and looking to retire.  When they do, they will take all of their knowledge and skills with them.  Seeing the need to foster and build a new workforce, Trades Expo was created. 

Trades Expo features highly skilled tradespeople who want to train youth, pass on their knowledge, and encourage trades as a career path.  The youth love the practical, hands-on demonstrations and the opportunity to try-out several trades options in one space.  Our Virtual Reality Painting Simulator, Virtual Reality Boom Lift Simulator, and Glazing Crane were popular and are featured in the video.  Please take a minute to watch our FTI BC educators and reps in action!

Finishing Trades Institute of BC First IUPAT Training Centre in Canada to Receive NACE NIICAP AS-3 ITO Accreditation

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District Council 38 (DC38) Finishing Trades Institute of BC (FTI BC) recently became the first training centre in Canada to receive Nace Industrial Institute Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP) Accreditation in accordance with AS-3 ITO requirements.

To receive accreditation, an Independent Training Organization (ITO) audit must show:

  • Very thorough review of the management, technical infrastructure, training and qualification of the instructor(s), training plans, lesson plans, testing content, and security of an organization’s independent training program and its facilities
  • [Verification] that the training program content, program management, methods of delivery, testing practices, and objectivity of the testing protocol meets the NIICAP requirements at the time of the audit and during bi-annual maintenance audits.

This accreditation opens the doors to DC38 Industrial Painting Contractors to achieving the highest level of contractor certification NIICAP offers. Third party certifications attained through NACE, SSPC and the Interprovincial Red Seal prove that DC38 members and contractors are steadfast in providing the safest workforce while delivering the best quality product in the industries we represent.

The audit letter, attached below, details the commitment and spirit of FTI BC personnel, and the overall impression that FTI BC is a modern, well-run, very robust and professional training facility that provides significant training needs at the local level.

For more information on NIICAP, please see http://www.niicap.net/about

If you have difficulty accessing the full letter, you can find it here

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