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Mentors and mentees form the got a chance to build up their relationships at the group’s annual retreat.

Hosted by the (TCBN) at Polonia Park in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont. Aug. 24, the all-day event featured learning, networking and leisure activities.

“It’s really about team building, getting to know each other, understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses, understanding the journey and how they are experiencing the journey into their construction careers, understanding the different skillsets that each of them brings across the different unions or across the different trades,” said Rosemarie Powell, executive director, TCBN. “It’s about building their camaraderie and building relationships and potential collaborations that come out of it afterwards and very importantly, it’s across the trades.”

Through the Nexgen Builders Mentorship program, Black youth seeking a career in construction or mentees, get matched up with mentors who are experienced construction trades professionals. TCBN, a community-labour coalition, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

This year more than 300 attendees participated in the retreat. In addition to mentors and mentees, there was also staff, volunteers, partner organizations, unions and allies and employer partners.

“It’s a professional development activity, a retreat where we’re building team,” said Powell. “We have been doing this for the last five years.”

Those in attendance took part in speed mentoring activities to get to know each other.

“Mentors, mentees and employers sit down around the table together, connect, get to know each other,” explained Powell. “We gave them time to meet and greet and ask some pointed questions…and then after the time is done, they get to move to the next table, and they do that over and over, so they get to meet as many people as possible who are at the retreat.”

In addition to the networking, the day also consisted of an excursion, sports and competitions. Powell said it’s a fully programmed day with all sorts of different activities to bring people together.

“Our partners come up and speak, introduce different concepts, introduce their programs because we have booths from our different partner organizations and our unions showcasing their programs and their services,” she said. “It’s mainly related to construction. Construction training programs, the construction unions, wraparound supports that people can access, professional development opportunities that they may have.”

There was also a Green City Build competition where participants had an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity.

“We had seven projects that were being built on the spot, fun projects: a doghouse, a water fountain, a water catchment system,” said Powell. “There were different projects that people were able to build on site and at the end of the day people voted on which project was the grand prize winner.”

The mentoring program has been growing over the years and so has the number of people participating in the retreat. The retreat is a great way for people from under-represented groups to connect, Powell said.

“We know that Black and racialized people, women, Indigenous people and newcomers are under-represented in construction,” Powell said. “You may have some small numbers in each of the different unions, who are participating in the different trades, in the professional, administrative and technical roles as well but when you bring them all together they have a greater number and they are really able to find and build relationships across their professions so they don’t feel so isolated, they don’t feel so alone, they know that they have allies within the industry.”

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