New partnership to prepare Indigenous women for entry into pipeline construction

Calgary, AB – February 9, 2017 – Women Building Futures (WBF) and the Trans Mountain Expansion Project recently entered into a new partnership to recruit, assess and train Indigenous women for safe and productive entry into the pipeline construction field.

The newly created 8-week Trans Mountain Pipeline Construction Labourer Training Program (the Program) will begin on July 4, 2017 and includes safety training, workplace procedures, hands-on skills training, workplace culture awareness, fitness awareness, financial literacy, career development, cultural programming and job search skills. Through a successful funding application, WBF and Trans Mountain successfully leverage funds to make the Program possible. Indigenous groups were involved in sharing feedback to assist in the development of the curriculum based on the needs of the market.

 All training will take place at WBF’s classroom and training facility in Edmonton, while the employment opportunities with the construction of the expansion project are located within the Project corridor between Strathcona County and the BC/AB border. Housing at WBF, which includes 42 self-contained subsidized apartments, 18 of which are for single mothers with children, will be available for women during the program.

To kick-off this new program, Indigenous women are invited to attend a five-day Career Builder Session which will prepare them to apply for this program. This session will include math instruction, application completion, assessments and self-discovery workshops.

 Kathy Kimpton, WBF President & CEO is passionate about empowering women in non-traditional occupations and changing lives through learning.

 “This new program is especially important because it gives Indigenous women a unique opportunity to enter into the construction industry, and be able to live and work close to their communities,” said Ms Kimpton.

“By offering the WBF Career Builder training, we will be able to prepare these women within their cultural framework for success. The impact this new partnership will have on the lives of these women will be profound,” Ms Kimpton concluded.

“Trans Mountain has a 60-year history of working with communities and we’re committed to providing Indigenous communities with benefits through employment, training and business opportunities,” says Ian Anderson, President of Kinder Morgan Canada.

“Over the past several years, we’ve worked hard to build upon our existing relationships to pave a path forward for our company to deliver Project benefits for Indigenous communities. Through our employment, training and procurement polices, we’re continuing extensive consultation with training providers, industry associations and communities to create initiatives that will enhance 2 employment opportunities, support economic development and increase the long-term shared success of the Project,” said Anderson.

Upcoming Career Builder Sessions will be held in Stony Plain, Edmonton, Wetaskiwin and Hinton. Women can register for these sessions by calling 780-452-1200 or toll free at 1-866-452-1201.

 A second delivery of the Program is planned for 2018.

About Women Building Futures

Women Building Futures (WBF) is Alberta’s premier destination for women who want to discover, pursue and advance in a career in trades. A Social Purpose Organization and registered charity, WBF is valued for its uncompromising approach to meeting the needs of women and industry by recruiting the right people, providing them with the right training and matching them with the right employer. WBF offers women pre-trades competency-based training in welding, steamfitting/pipefitting, plumbing, sheet metal, carpentry, electrical and heavy equipment operator training at their training centre in Edmonton, Alberta. WBF has quickly become the go-to place for women interested in a career in the construction trades and for companies wishing to diversify their workforce. For more information about WBF, visit www.womenbuildingfutures.com.

About Trans Mountain Expansion Project

 In November 2016, the Government of Canada approved Kinder Morgan Canada’s plan to expand the existing Trans Mountain Pipeline system – between Edmonton, Alberta and Burnaby, British Columbia. The Project is subject to 157 Conditions from the National Energy Board that covers the life span of the Project, which, is expected to be in-service in late 2019. For almost 60 years, the 1,150-km Trans Mountain pipeline system has been safely and efficiently providing the only West Coast access for Canadian oil products, including about 90 per cent of the gasoline supplied to the interior and south coast of British Columbia. For more information, please visit www.transmountain.com.