Calgary Construction Association partners with CBE for 'Adopt a Shop' school pilot
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Officials from the Calgary Construction Association (CCA) and the Calgary Board of Education launched the Adopt a Shop program Wednesday at Central Memorial High School's Career and Technology Centre.
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Participating construction firms will provide middle and high-school students in shop programs with hands-on learning and exposure to professional industries. The companies will 'adopt' the school's shop program by donating funding, building materials, mentorship or other supports.
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'This is the future of our industry and the future of our cities represented in this group of young people,' he said, gesturing to a group of Central Memorial shop students. 'Our industry is used to seeking a backlog of future work, and we cannot do that effectively if we do not have a backlog of future talent.'
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Last fall, the CCA partnered with local elementary schools through the Honour the Work program, which aims to help introduce younger students to the opportunity of working in skilled trades and construction careers.
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However, until recently, Black said previous collaboration between the association and schools was typically on a one-time or casual basis, such as an annual construction career expo for students.
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Programs like Adopt a Shop allow for broader investment in construction education and workforce development, added Black, who has long preached about the ongoing labour shortage in the construction sector.
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'What we like about this is that it's year-round,' he said. 'It's not just one (event), it's continuous. It's part of the curriculum and is woven into the day they spend coming to school.'
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Grade 12 student Vivian Lucas, who is taking Central Memorial's Construction 20 class this semester, said that while she won't benefit from Adopt the Shop personally due to her impending graduation, the program will give shop students next year an advantage, in terms of getting their foot in the door of a potentially high-earning career.
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