MRCO Sisters in the Brotherhood Develop and Implement New ITM Program Partners with Indigenous Communities

TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2021 /CNW/ - The Millwright Regional Council of Ontario (MRCO), the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI), the First Nations Power Authority (FNPA), and Huronia Area Aboriginal Management Board (HAAMB), Adult Learning Centres Grey, Bruce, Georgian and the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO) are pleased to announce the August 9 start of a six-week training program for eight Indigenous men and women at Bruce Power's training facility in Underwood.

The training and skills-upgrade program will prepare successful candidates to become millwright apprentices and begin careers as millwrights in the nuclear industry.

"Working with local community resources, we are opening doors for Indigenous people who wish to gain the knowledge needed to be able to meet the requirements to enter the millwright apprenticeship program", said Heather Ferguson, SIB ITM Instructor with the Millwright Regional Council of Ontario.

The cohort of 8 individuals who were chosen are all interested in becoming members of the MRCO. These individuals were selected from various Indigenous communities and were interviewed by a team to confirm their availability and commitment. The creation and implementation of the SIB ITM program is an excellent example of what can be achieved through collaboration efforts between multiple organizations.

"This project is so important in setting the building blocks for the future", said Jamilyn Tindale, SIB ITM Instructor with the Millwright Regional Council of Ontario.

The ITM program is a 6-week program that consists of 4 weeks of Millwright skills training in conjunction with 2 weeks of training in the area of math, spatial reasoning and communication. The goal of the program is for the participants to be indentured into the Millwright Union as 1^st year apprentices, guide their successful completion of the required Union entry aptitude test and prepare them for safe dispatch to a site for work. 

"Upon completion of this pilot program and future courses, we will conduct a review to ensure our offerings are continually improving to meet the growing needs of our community partners. The MRCO is committed to working with our Indigenous and community leaders to build pathways for success through education, experience, and knowledge", said Mark Beardsworth, Director of Operations with the Millwright Regional Council of Ontario.

About the Millwright Regional Council of Ontario

Millwright Regional Council of Ontario (MRCO) is composed of eight affiliated Local Unions of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) across the Province of Ontario.

We represent thousands of women and men working as progressive cross-trained construction and maintenance professionals with exceptional skills to install, maintain, diagnose, and repair precision machinery.

UBC millwrights are vital partners in industries as diverse as energy, automotive, aerospace, food processing, pharmaceuticals and more.

SOURCE Millwright Regional Council of Ontario

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