by Arabi Siva – Procore Technologies

As the construction industry grapples with an ongoing labour shortage, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) is making strides to attract more young people to the skilled trades through a variety of outreach programs to junior high and high school students as well as young adults.

Through its partnership with Procore, a leading global provider of construction management software, SAIT is also preparing its current students for the new digital workflows that are becoming increasingly common on jobsites, as the construction industry continues adopting technology to operate more efficiently.

One way SAIT connects with youth is through its dual credit programs, which allow high school students to earn postsecondary credits. These programs carry no tuition fees for families.

“It’s a really great opportunity for high school students that might not have access to these opportunities within their own high schools,” says Rozlynn Wick, Project Manager, Strategic Youth Initiatives at SAIT. “It can be a good way for them to identify if they want to continue to pursue a particular program or career pathway. If they decide ‘That’s not for me, I want to specialize in something else,’ then that’s a win as well because the process has helped them find a direction.”

This exposure to SAIT’s skilled trades programs shows students the possibilities available to them.

Keep reading this article on Procore.com

On showing high schoolers the skilled trades are a rewarding career option

“It’s a really great opportunity for high school students that might not have access to these opportunities within their own high schools,” says Rozlynn Wick, Project Manager, Strategic Youth Initiatives at SAIT. “It can be a good way for them to identify if they want to continue to pursue a particular program or career pathway. If they decide ‘That’s not for me, I want to specialize in something else,’ then that’s a win as well because the process has helped them find a direction.”

“The biggest takeaway from the program for these students is the confidence to know that they’re capable of doing post-secondary work, and the feeling of community and inclusiveness,” says Wick. “They learn there is a place for them on campus.”

On attracting women to the skilled trades

Lisa Weatherby, Dean of Academic Services at SAIT, adds: “The goal is to expose young women to some of the opportunities that might be available to them, and to also help build their confidence in a space where they might not realize that they’re capable.”

Programs such as Jill of All Trades are intended to get girls thinking about construction professions early, and help grow representation of women in SAIT’s future cohorts.

On teaching tech skills needed on modern job sites 

Lahiru Silva is an engineer, researcher and consultant who teaches at SAIT. In his project management course, he discusses the differences between old-fashioned methods and newer construction management technology such as Procore. The software is provided to SAIT by Procore.org, Procore’s social impact arm.

“Having access to Procore helps us demonstrate the tech skills needed in construction,” says Silva. “It helps us pursue the younger generation, who grew up playing video games and are already involved with technology. These systems are not difficult for them.” Contractors using Procore have also noticed how youths’ familiarity with technology can translate to project management roles.

“Some students say they got a job because they were fluent with Procore,” says Silva. “The industry is looking for people that already have the technical know-how, rather than having to teach tech skills from scratch.”

On simulating real-world dynamics

Another SAIT instructor, Tareq Baker, has been using Procore in the classroom for about three years. So far, approximately 100 students have used the platform in his classes.

Through Procore, Baker’s students develop estimates, schedules, budgets and daily logs, and also work with project drawings. Baker tries to simulate the working relationship between construction companies by having one group of students act as a general contractor and “hire” another group from the class as a subcontractor. “This gives the students the feeling of the flow between a general contractor and subcontractor.”

In the future, Baker intends to take students into the field to show them how construction management technology functions in a jobsite setting.

“Because I have unlimited user access, I’m able to add as many students as I want. That helps the usability of the software in the classroom,” says Baker.