‘AS WOMEN IT’S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE THAT ENCOURAGEMENT. IT’S A LOT EASIER TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF’: SKILLS READY PARTICIPANTS TALK SHOP IN THE LATEST ‘INDUSTRY INTERVIEW’

This week’s ‘Industry Interview’ features tradeswomen Amanda Steiner and Rebekah Ray, who are carving out a name for themselves after getting into the trades while attending Salmon Secondary and participating in a Skills Ready’s Showcase Event in 2017. The pair entered the trades following high school and have big plans for their future. Amanda’s father

INDUSTRY INTERVIEWS: CHARLES LAY AND NICK KAST DISCUSS BENEFITS OF SKILLS READY SHOWCASE EVENTS

This week, Skills Ready Career Catalyst Dave Lovisa sits down with Summerland Secondary School educators Charles Lay and Nick Kast. All three were involved in Summerland’s recent hosting of a Skills Ready Showcase event, intended to connect students with potential employers from industry. The trio open the latest Industry Interview session with a discussion on

‘SKILLS READY’ AND ‘ALL ROADS’ INITIATIVES COME TOGETHER TO FACILITATE CEDAR PLANTER WORKSHOP

The Skills Ready and All Roads initiatives came together this Fall to facilitate a unique workshop in the Kamloops area, with youth aged 13-18 creating cedar planter boxes and copper bracelets.  The two-day workshop connected participants with the All Roads initiative and encouraged them to use their hands combining traditional materials with present-day tools and

CONSTRUCTION FOUNDATION’S ‘WELCOME EXCHANGE’ INITIATIVE KICKS OFF WITH VIRTUAL BEADING WORKSHOP

The Construction Foundation of BC’s Welcome Exchange initiative kicked off with a virtual beading workshop that saw participants creating their own traditional bead medallion. Supported by partner Here in Canada, the workshop incorporated discussion surrounding the history of First Nations culture. JOIN THE ‘WELCOME EXCHANGE’ FACEBOOK GROUP Led by local First Nations artist Sarah Underdown,
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DREAM MACHINE SPOTLIGHT: ARTIST PETER WAYNE GONG

(Originally posted December 2, 2019) Artist Peter Wayne Gong is using art as a means of connecting with West Coast youth by providing an example of what can be done through hard work and perseverance. An accomplished Coast Salish artist from Squamish Nation, Peter finds inspiration in his art by drawing upon his life experiences

DREAM MACHINE SPOTLIGHT: CHEF ANDREW GEORGE

As part of this year’s Skills Canada Indigenous Skills Showcase, artist and the Construction Foundation of BC’s Catalyst, Indigenous Communities, Dean Heron spoke with renowned chef Andrew George about his life and career in the culinary industry. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL George was born in Smithers, British Columbia, raised in Telkwa and attended Vancouver

DREAM MACHINE SPOTLIGHT: ARTIST DANIKA NACCARELLA

The Construction Foundation of BC’s (CFBC) Catalyst, Indigenous Communities, Dean Heron spoke with Northwest Coast artist Danika Naccarella earlier this year as part of the CFBC’s 2020 Indigenous Skills Showcase. Descending from Nuxalk & Gwa’sala-Nakwaxda’xw ancestry, Danika, a young and emerging artist from Bella Coola, shared her education and experiences leading up to her current

DREAM MACHINE SPOTLIGHT: AUTHOR RUDY KELLY

Rudy Kelly was born and raised in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, the fourth son of eight children of Tsimshian First Nation Chiefs, Henry and Shirley Kelly. He is a member of the Gitsi’is (Raven) tribe. Construction Foundation’s Catalyst, Indigenous Communities, Dean Heron sat down with Kelly to discuss his career as an author and the

HERE FOR GOOD: IRONWORKERS 97 DONATING TIME AND RESOURCES TO ELEVATE TRADES AS VIABLE CAREER

This summer, Ironworkers Local 97, Milieu Children & Family Services and the Construction Foundation’s Skills Ready initiative worked together to put on a Trades Exploration Camp with youth in the Vancouver area. The hands-on camp featured welding, assembling and bolting together of steel structures, ‘toolbox talk’, measurement and drilling exercises, woodworking and painting, along with

KNIFE BLADE DONATION, TRADES EXPLORATION CAMP HIGHLIGHT CONSTRUCTION FOUNDATION’S EARLY AUGUST ACTIVITY

Exciting and engaging activities have continued to occur within the Construction Foundation and Skills Ready teams. Despite a change in pace and approach to everyday life due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both teams have continued to coordinate and execute on several initiatives and workshops over the past weeks. This month’s CFBC ‘Here For Good’ blog

SKILLS READY PARTNERS WITH MILIEU CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES FOR TRADES EXPLORATION CAMP

The Construction Foundation of BC’s Skills Ready initiative is partnering with Milieu Children & Family services for a Trades Exploration Camp that introduces participants to several trades-related activities over the course of five days as they work to design, assemble and finish a group picnic table project, as well as smaller individual projects during the

HERE FOR GOOD: DON ROBERTS MAKES SIGNIFICANT DONATION TO ASPIRING ARTISTS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

At nearly 98 years old, machinist Don Roberts recently made a significant contribution to aspiring artists through the Construction Foundation, donating hundreds of carving blades he had created and accumulated over his career to schools and First Nations students throughout the province. Over his long and varied working life, Don tried on many jobs. He