1. Pathway Program to Construction Skills
Best Practices, Challenges and Second Cohort
A team effort: instructor, case manager, administrative assistant, employment coordinator, participants, employers, funders, other stakeholders

2. Pathway Program to Construction Skills: Best Practices—Client Pathway
Collaborate with other organizations for client outreach
Develop tools to measure client suitability
Address emerging barriers during employment
MANSO, Manitoba Start, The Immigrant Centre, Language Bank, ethno-cultural and faith community groups such as Manitoba Islamic Association and Kurdish Association of Manitoba
Consider the factors that will be necessary to client success e. g. driver’s license; fear of heights; ability to carry a certain weight; things like motivation are harder to quantify
Program, through program manager or case manager needs to provide support when gaps emerge between participant and program expectations e.g. prayer during technical training time; consumption of fluids during Ramadan

3. Pathway Program to Construction Skills: Best Practices—Employer Pathway
Understand industry needs
Hold meet and greet event for employers and participants
Respond to employer feedback
Met with Ron Hambley, Winnipeg Construction Association and trade association leads to identify the kinds of trades that might be looking for general labourers.
Held event about half way through first cohort to build awareness among employers, confidence among participants and potential matches between the two
Program must listen carefully when issues are raised by supervisors on site such as absenteeism or not getting work done quickly enough

4. Pathway Program to Construction Skills: Challenges—Client Pathway
Manage participant expectations
Manage shifting participant priorities
Expect the unexpected
1) Participants could not always get their first choice of trade e. g. dry-walling versus roofing versus masonry as number of seats differed in each industry. Communicate clearly what the program is offering
2) During the employment component of the program, it became apparent that the priority was shifting for some: plans to move; preference for language learning; employment opportunities in other sectors
3) Some participants declared (for the first time) health concerns or other concerns that prevented them from retaining employment e. g. fear of heights

5. Pathway Program to Construction Skills: Challenges—Employer Pathway
Safety concerns and language levels
Concern about increase to WCB premiums
Religious practice and worker safety
For some employers, participants with beginner language levels posed concerns: COR (certificate of recognition) companies may be audited
Some employers were concerned that a WCB claim could result in higher premiums for the company
Employers were concerned that participants who were not drinking water during Ramadan were endangering themselves

6. Pathway Program to Construction Skills: Changes—Cohort Two
Expand community partnerships
Assess participant competencies
Seek out new employers
1) Working with community partners such as Habitat for Humanity can contribute to community (RRC value), provide participants with opportunity to apply classroom learning and raise profile of program.
2) Formal assessment while on technical training can be used to better communicate and demonstrate participant skills (employability and technical) to potential employers
3) Getting more employers on-board; involve them in workshops such as one MB Start provides on Strategies for Supporting Refugees in the Workplace

7. REDI: Provincial and Federal Collaboration
What worked?

8. REDI: Provincial and Federal Collaboration What worked—Client Pathway
Additional language training
Integration through employment pathway
Transition between income supports
English for work and skill-specific training
1) receive both English for Work (IRCC-funded) and skill-specific training (funded through REDI).
2) experience a managed transition between income supports (federal RAP to provincial EIA) in their month 13.
3) pursue a pathway to employment that meets provincial labour market needs while helping them integrate into Canadian society in keeping with IRCC’s mandate.
4) have the option to receive further IRCC-funded language training subsequent to program completion.

9. REDI: Provincial and Federal Collaboration What worked—SPO Perspective
Optimal level of co-funding
Building organiza-tional capacity
Service to new client groups
Traditional and non-traditional partners
1) receive an optimal level of co-funding to deliver a program that meets participant needs
2) leverage existing resources (e.g. instructor) as well as build organizational capacity (e.g. case manager)
3) provide service to a client group that is outside of current scope through amendment to IRCC Contribution Agreement
4) work collaboratively with traditional and non-traditional partners to expand networks

10. REDI: Provincial and Federal Collaboration Challenges and Opportunities
Consistency of Standards
Harmonization of Reporting
Crossing Organizational Territories