b'TRAININGEVOLVING TRAINING FOR Carpenters Union outlines their new A NEW GENERATION training strategies for apprenticeshipsT raining has always been at the forefront of the Carpenters Union, and that is truer today than any other time. As the scaffold industry grows and evolves, the workforce generation changes, and the way we look at training has to grow, evolve and change. Industry growth has required a larger demand for labour. To ensure scaffold jobs are being supplied with the appropriate labour, the union has increased the amount of training that we provide prior to dispatching workers.The introduction of pre-apprenticeship programs in many Ontario locals has met the need for more training. Pre-apprenticeship programs emphasize the work-ready training that is required to be deployed to the workplace, as well as task-ready training that includes training with various systems of scaffold, safe erection and dismantling of scaffolding, and safe handling procedures. These programs benefit the worker and the contractor by providing a worker with the necessary skills to hit the ground running in the scaffold industry.Skill enhancement training throughout aThe tiered system enables the membersput on a headset and be transported to a members apprenticeship and well into theirto be an active contributor on-site fromconstruction site. This leap forward has been journeyperson career is a philosophy thatday one, and returning to the subsequentbeneficial for the younger generation of the Carpenters Union endorses. Many localstraining stages later allows the member toworkers, allowing the participants to build have implemented a tiered system that offersincrease their skills and apply what theyscaffold in a safe environment without the staggered training: have learned on the tools. The goal of aneed for materials and tools. The use of VR staggered training program is to providein the classroom doesnt eliminate the need Stage 1 introduces the worker to scaffoldingthe required and appropriate training atfor hands-on training, but aids in educating through basic training, followed bythe correct time for the worker and themembers in sequence of build, component placing the member on-site working in thecontractor. Having workers return fromidentification and consequence of error in a scaffoldindustry.the field for additional training reinforcessafe environment.the workers previous training and allows Stage 2 brings the member back eightthe worker to productively contribute toThanks to our close relationships with months to one year later for advancedtheir current training. scaffold contractors, industry partnerships, training involving both system and tube &revolutionary training practices and our clampcomponents.As our workforce gets younger and more technology-savvy, so does our training.commitment to providing a productive Stage 3 brings the member back an additionalThe implementation of virtual reality (VR)workforce, the Carpenters Union is well-year later for specialty training. This specialtyin the classroom has aided in the deliverypositioned to adapt to the ever-changing training can be site- or contractor-specific. of scaffold training. Members now canconstruction environment.20THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SCAFFOLD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA'