ACC students in Sandy Bay give back to their community

ACC's Applied Building Construction program offered in Sandy Bay wrapped up last month with fifteen students graduating. Students were hard at work completing an extension project to the Sandy Bay Child Care Centre.

This project was part of their practical education component, which is integral to ACC’s learning model. ACC combines classroom theory with hands-on learning, giving students a comprehensive educational experience.

“The extension and upgrades were needed on the thirty year plus building as it was originally built to accommodate twenty-five day care spots and we now have fifty spaces,” said Catherine Spence, A.S.E.T.S Manager in Sandy Bay. Doubling the occupancy for day care spots allows the community to expand and look for other opportunities for growth. Catherine is already looking to the future as they are in the planning stages of additional pre-school programs with these upgrades. This extension project not only benefits the community now but also facilitates future projects.

The Applied Building Construction program was offered to First Nations in Sandy Bay wanting further training in the building construction industry. This program was funded by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) through Post-Secondary Partnership Program (PSPP).

There is strong demand for certified carpenters within the community. “Sandy Bay has over 600 homes that require renovations and upgrades, as well as the need for building new homes every year,” said Spence. The Applied Building Construction training offered by ACC provides Sandy Bay with trained carpenters building their homes. “Trainees learn how to complete a project using the building code specifications and how to build up to the National Building Code Standards,” said Spence.

“We know the project has been done right, as Randy the instructor is an excellent carpenter,” said Jason Starr, one of the Councilors in Sandy Bay.

The academic portion of this community-based program is complete and students are now completing their practicum component. All fifteen students have met the requirements for the Level One Apprenticeship in-school technical training portion of the program which equates to achieving an average of 70 percent on all courses. This allows students to be granted credit towards Level One Carpentry Apprenticeship, “This training has had 100 percent success rate with all fifteen graduating,” said Starr.

Practicum placements for the program are located throughout the province; most are within the community with a few in Brandon and Portage la Prairie. “Sandy Bay A.S.E.T.S is planning to continue with the trainees. They will be able to secure employment after they become certified,” said Spence.

This training has had a positive impact on the community as a whole. “It gave some of the students and their families a new outlook on life. Some of them have small young families and this training allows them to look for work within and outside the community,” said Starr.