Fostering a sense of belonging

ILEO recently launched the Construction Union Employment Pathways Program, which aims to provide a new pool of labour in the construction industry and create a sustainable workforce for underrepresented individuals through employment training, mentorship and work placement opportunities.  

As part of the program, United Way Greater Toronto has partnered with Arena Group, who is responsible for the construction overlay at the Toronto Stadium. 

On August 6th, 38 participants in the program – at least five of whom will be hired to work on the site, were able to see it coming to life along with our partners: Arena Group, Human Space and WoodGreen Community Services. 

Joining the Toronto Stadium visit was Niki Stamatelos, Manager of Workforce Development – Trades at WoodGreen Community Services. The team got a first-hand look at active site conditions, had an opportunity to connect with industry professionals, and built awareness of different career paths for program participants. We asked Niki a few questions about her experience working on this collaboration, the impact it will have on the community, and what she’s most excited about for this project. 

Niki Stamatelos: I think in terms of scale, it’s much bigger than other collaborations; especially the number of stakeholders and partners that we’re working with. We’re also getting to work with partners that we haven’t historically being able to work with, like the unions, and I’ve enjoyed that a lot.

The program is big, not only in terms of the number of participants, but also the number of different pathways that individuals can go into. It’s like four different programs rolled into one, each with its own set of learnings for us as an organization.

Niki Stamatelos:  When I think about the community and the participants in this group – even just based on today’s visit – I see how it can help people feel like they belong. Many of the folks here are from groups that are underrepresented in the trades, including many newcomers. For those coming from different countries where they may have only watched large international events on TV, being part of something like this and even potentially helping to build it can foster a real sense of belonging.

Niki Stamatelos: We are working with the unions and for each union, participants are going into an apprenticeship. The shortest being two years, and the longer ones for electricians and plumbers taking five years.

What I’m most excited about is, eventually, running into these folks when they’re working as red-sealed, journeyed tradespeople, and for us to be just this little blip from long ago. We had this small connection that helped set them on a different course. Even today, I’ve run into a participant from a previous program who is now one of the organizers of this visit. It’s just a great reminder that the folks we’re working with have incredible experience and skills, and we’re just really excited to see where it all leads and where this journey takes them. 

The ILEO Construction Union Employment Pathways Program provides pre-employment training delivered by community agencies, trades training delivered by unions, mentorship, and work placements on construction sites across the region.  

The aim of this project is to provide a new pool of labour in the construction industry and create a sustainable workforce by reducing barriers for underrepresented individuals.  

This program is made possible by the generous support of the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. 

To learn more about how United Way Greater Toronto, BMO and other private, public and community partners are working together to ensure the benefits of this development flow to existing residents check out the Inclusive Local Economic Opportunity Initiative (ILEO).