A new training and employment initiative led in part by 91ɫ’s is set to help more than 1,000 newcomer women enter Canada’s construction industry.
BuildHER Future: Newcomer Women in Construction, developed by non-profit organization Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto (NEW), brings together post-secondary and community partners to support workforce development, improve access to employment and strengthen pathways into the construction industry.
NEW is a non-profit organization that provides settlement, employment and language services to immigrant and refugee women and their families and will deliver the program in collaboration with Schulich ExecEd and Humber Polytechnic.
It aims to bring together expertise in executive learning, workforce development and applied, hands-on training to ensure learners benefit from industry-informed curriculum design, practical skills and pathways opportunities.
“Schulich Executive Education is proud to partner with Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto on BuildHER Future,” says Rami Mayer, executive director of Schulich ExecEd. “By contributing our expertise in construction project management, we are supporting newcomer women in accessing meaningful career opportunities in a sector that will benefit from their skills.”
Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP), BuildHER Future aims to improve labour market integration, advance gender equity and address critical workforce shortages while expanding access to construction careers for internationally trained women.
It responds to the growing demand for skilled workers across Canada’s construction industry and the persistent systemic barriers that many newcomer women face related to credential recognition and limited access to industry networks.
“With the support of the Government of Canada, we are equipping highly skilled newcomer women with the training, mentorship, and work experience needed to succeed in the construction sector,” says Sara Asalya, executive director of Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto. She adds the program is focused on creating opportunities for employment and recognizing the value of internationally trained professionals.
“We look forward to the impact this initiative will have on participants and the broader workforce,” says Mayer.