March 26, 2024 (Fort St. John, BC) – The Construction Foundation of BC’s (CFBC) first Discover Trades Camp of 2024 wrapped up last week, with a jam-packed group of 16 enthusiastic, young women from Fort St. John and surrounding areas descending upon Duncan Cran Elementary School for five days of hands-on activities.
Led by CFBC catalyst and Red Seal electrician Lisa Scott, the camps introduced participants to Occupational Health and Safety, Carpentry, Electrical, Painting, Plumbing, and Sheet Metal, as well as projects such as water guns, mason bee houses, and greenhouses. Participants were equipped with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and provided catered lunches and snacks. Every Discover Trades camp to date has been provided free of charge.
Kicking off at 9:00 am, each day began with a roundtable discussion to cover the day’s itinerary and ensure that each camper was set up with the appropriate PPE to wear prior to heading over to the shop space for the day. The majority of days were split into four blocks of activities as well as a midweek, off-site construction tour and end-of-week awards and celebration ceremony. Campers constructed an impressive 2-3 projects each day that were then sent home at day’s end.
“Everything goes home,” said Scott. “We make sure they take everything home with them. It’s really cool to hear them explaining the projects and what they’ve done to a grandparent or a family member that comes to the camp.”
It’s the third year for CFBC’s Spring and Summer Discover camps, which have steadily grown each year in scope and participation. In addition to the Young Women in Trades camp, all gender and Indigenous-specific camps are scheduled to take place in the upcoming months.
“They’re in the works,” added Scott. “They’re starting to get planned for the Summer, so there will be a few more for sure this year. The interest in these camps is so high I just wish I could do a bigger group or double down… incorporate more kids and more youth into the camps but keep that same atmosphere.”
March’s Young Women in Trades Discover camp was made possible with the support of Terus Construction, Spartan Control, AAA Safety & Field Services, School District No. 60: Peace River North, BCCWITT, Bold Promotions Inc., WL Construction, Pembina Pipeline Co. and Nedco.
This year’s support team was comprised of a number of instructors and educators including Rene Ragetli, Christine Burns, Denise Dauvin, Taylor Rose, Moneca Conway, Shane Roy, Brian Campbell, all focused on introducing youth to potential careers in the trades industry.
“I really enjoyed watching how the girls develop their skills and that confidence level in themselves during that first day compared to that Friday,” said Scott. “The growth from these girls—it’s just so exciting watching them. All of a sudden, they’re excited and they’re like, ‘I did that whole project, and I was using the drill myself this time.’”
For more information on the work being done by the Construction Foundation of BC and to donate, please visit www.constructionfoundation.ca.
