44 BUILD MANITOBA winnipegconstruction.ca BUILDING WITH PURPOSE Social enterprise trains people with barriers to employment By Warren Heeley Purpose Construction is a very different type of company. It is a social enterprise in Winnipeg that works to improve the lives of people who are disadvantaged both economically and culturally. The company focuses on people whose access to employment is blocked due to their life circumstances. Purpose Construction was formed in 2009 to provide training and employment opportunities to people who often get left out of the traditional job market. “Purpose provides a chance to build a stable, family-supporting career in the trades for people who need a hand up: Those leaving the penal system, refugees and newcomers to Canada, single mothers and others who want to build a better life for themselves and their families,” says Kalen Taylor, Executive Director of Purpose. The company provides on-the-job training, employment support and work experience across a variety of trades. “We believe in the people we employ at Purpose Construction and our teams work incredibly hard to improve their lives.” Purpose operates like a traditional construction company with a twist: the company drives its earnings back into the community. It is overseen by a Board of Directors made up of representatives from the construction and not-for-profit sectors, professionals and past program participants. While Purpose is a not-for-profit company, it operates much like a traditional contracting company. It is not government funded, and bids on residential and commercial projects which create work opportunities for their teams and generate revenue to support the program. Their services are competitively priced and produce high-quality work that creates long-term partnerships with clients and industry partners who support the goals of the company. Manitoba Housing is one key partner. Purpose provides unit turnovers and capital upgrades to Ministry social housing units. “We provide over $2 million dollars in services annually to them,” says Taylor, “It is a win-win for Manitoba Housing. Our services are market-rate and competitive and we are providing training and employment opportunities to the same people that the Ministry exists to serve.” Beyond offering vulnerable individuals an opportunity to build a career, Purpose Construction has another goal: To build diversity in the construction sector and help address the long-term problem of skilled labour shortages in the industry. “Since our founding, we have trained and supported more than 240 people – many of which have moved on to long-term careers in the construction sector,” says Taylor. “Our goal is to train experienced workers who assume positions beyond Purpose and take their place in society.” The company works with a number of construction companies looking to fill positions, and are always looking for long-term employment opportunities for their staff. Purpose’s training and employment stabilizes their workers’ lives so they can move forward in a productive way. When working on project contracts, they focus on two areas; meeting the terms of the contract and providing on-the-job training and experience for their workers. Worker training at Purpose is vital. The company co-owns the Social Enterprise Centre, located in Winnipeg’s North End, where a number of social enterprise trades training programs are held. “Purpose Construction is always looking for new partnerships and new opportunities to grow. The more work we’re doing, the more people we can train and support, and the greater our social impact. It’s amazing how hard our teams work to prove themselves when they are given the chance,” says Taylor. The company is looking to connect with industry partners, and for opportunities to bid on painting, demolition and carpentry contracts. For more information or to explore partnering with Purpose Construction, contact Kalen Taylor at ktaylor@purposeconstruction.ca or go to www.purposeconstruction.ca. PURPOSE CONSTRUCTION BY THE NUMBERS $4.29 IN POSITIVE SOCIAL IMPACT FOR EVERY $1 SPENT 244 WORKERS THROUGH PROGRAM $11 MILLION COMPANY SALES 2009 COMPANY STARTED