CORE Training

In spring 2008, Roderick Green was living in a Salvation Army shelter. At 48 years old, he had lost his job as a bartender, been evicted from his apartment and seen his savings whittle away. Then he met Lani Johnson at Building Opportunities with Business Inner-City Society (BOB) and things took a turn for the better – Johnson connected Green with the Construction Orientation to Retain Employment Program (CORE).

CORE is a six-week employment-training program delivered by the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA). It is co-located with VANOC’s carpentry program at the RONA Vancouver 2010 Fabrication Shop. To set participants up for success, a two-week pre-employment program precedes CORE.

CORE prepares people for jobs

 “CORE prepares workers for entry level construction jobs,” explained Keith Sashaw of the VRCA. “They learn safe work practices, effective interpersonal skills and competent handling of construction tools and materials. As well they earn seven industry certificates including first aid and fall safety.”

Sashaw added, “Although the current economic downturn is affecting some jobs, we’re confident that the industry will rebound and that we will continue to place people with lots of VRCA members.”

BOB is the connector

Few people would find their way to the CORE program and to the jobs on the other side, without Building Opportunities with Business Inner-City Society (BOB).

“Our job is to be a connector and a resource to the businesses, agencies and residents of the inner city,” said Lani Johnson, BOB employment support coordinator.

Johnson seeks referrals from over 40 inner-city agencies that support people looking for a new start. Then she and a VRCA job coach screen applicants to ensure that they are ready for the opportunity. They need to have stable housing, basic English and math skills and be in the right headspace. If they struggle with addiction, they need to be stable in recovery. Then Lani and the VRCA job coach find job placements with Vancouver 2010 Official Supplier Millennium Development Corporation, developer of Millennium Water, the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Village site and other employers.

BOB provides basic equipment for the job, post-employment support and, when appropriate, funding for further training. In addition, the CORE program supplies breakfast, lunch and bus tickets until the first paycheque arrives.

BOB is funded in part by Bell Canada’s Olympic sponsorship and builds economic opportunities for inner city businesses and residents.

Success means knowing who’s ready

In less than a year, BOB has placed 98 people in constructions jobs, not all of whom needed employment training. By December 1, 2008, 90 people had entered the CORE program and 63 successfully completed it. Of these, 52 went to jobs on Millennium Water and 11 elsewhere.

“As we get better at what we do, especially at the intake process and partnering with some of the great agencies in the Downtown Eastside, the success rate gets higher,” says Johnson. “Together, we are able to identify who’s ready for this step.”

The Community Benefit Agreement

Funding support for the CORE training program comes in part from an innovative Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) signed in November 2007 between the City of Vancouver, Millennium Development and BOB. The agreement provides for 100 jobs on the site; $750,000 in training for inner-city residents to prepare them for construction jobs; and $15 million in goods and services purchased from inner-city suppliers.

CORE workers are better prepared

John Nickel is a superintendent for the construction management company, ITC Construction Group, at Millennium Water. He participated in early feasibility discussions with BOB on the CORE program. As an employer, he has since discovered that the CORE program delivers entry-level workers who were better equipped than most labourers from temporary employment agencies. Nickel explained, “The CORE employees that ITC has hired are more skilled than expected and they are better prepared mentally.”

About the experience, Roderick Green said, “After CORE, you walk into the scene with more confidence. You’re ready to apply everything you learned and to be as productive as you can.”

Bit by bit everything is coming together

Green is a roofer now. He got the job the day before his CORE program ended. He is still living in a Salvation Army shelter but he is methodically working his way out of debt and hopes to apprentice as journeyman roofer.

“Bit by bit everything is coming together,” said Green. “Lani has helped me in so many ways. I can’t explain how grateful I am. This program worked for me and it could work for many, many others.”