7 Issue 2 Summer Edition 2019 BUILD MANITOBA On April 25, I had the opportunity to address and motivate female students in Grades 5 and 6 at Manitoba Women in Construction’s (MWC) Unlocking the Toolkit. This exciting event, hosted at Winnipeg Construction Association’s Construction Education Centre, is designed to encourage young women to consider taking courses in school that would open the door to careers in trades, technology and science. During the jam-packed day, tradeswomen and industry representatives engaged students in interactive demonstrations ranging from masonry and electrical to heavy equipment operating and welding. With a daughter in Grade 6, I know how important it is to not only encourage girls to consider all their occupational options but to inspire them to become anything they want to be. Thank you to the tradeswomen and MWC representatives who became role models to many young women at this event, demonstrating that women can be successful in any industry. For more on Unlocking the Toolkit, flip to page 20. Another reason this event is so important is because increased diversity will help address the skills gaps and expected labour shortage in construction. WCA continues to make a concerted effort to narrow the skilled trades gap in our industry by hosting and sponsoring multiple initiatives and events every year. WCA was once again pleased to support the Skills Manitoba Secondary Carpentry competition on April 11. Held at the brand-new Red River College Skilled Trades and Technology Centre, the competitors, all high school students, had six hours to build a doghouse to exact specifications. To read more about this event, turn to page 26. On May 8, our highly-anticipated initiative, the Manitoba Construction Career Expo, was back at the Red River Exhibition grounds. WCA, along with industry sponsors and partners, introduced more than 1,800 junior high and high school students to occupations in all facets of construction, including plumbing and pipefitting, carpentry, welding, roofing, construction management, masonry and more. See all the excitement from the 10th annual event on page 24. They may not be in high school anymore, but members of the Young Construction Leaders of Manitoba are still eager to learn, grow and take the next step in their careers. This group continues to inspire young leaders in the first half of their construction career with informal mentoring sessions, project site tours, educational sessions and networking events. See what they’re up to on page 14. Flip through the pages of Build Manitoba – better yet, read it in its entirety – to see how committed WCA is to supporting the development of our youth and young leaders. Peter Grose, Chair FROM OUR CHAIR Building Construction’s Future Workforce