The Building Greener Futures and Building for Seven Generations are training initiatives aimed at building capacity in the building industry, focusing on Indigenous on and off-reserve communities within BC.
Building Greener Futures focuses on working with youth and those interested in careers in buildings and construction.
Building for Seven Generations focuses on trades, leadership, housing administrators, and community members to identify training needs for building capacity to design, construct, and manage housing that is comfortable (energy-efficient), affordable, long-lasting, and meets the needs of communities.
Current projects focus on collaborating with communities of the west coast within Nuxálk territory and communities in the north within Lheidli T’enneh territory. These two pilots will be held between February – March 2024, with the goal of engaging 30 community members to understand principles of energy efficiency and building science and applied, hands-on knowledge to construct and retrofit housing that is comfortable, affordable, durable, and culturally appropriate.
The training will consist of 30–40 hours, with practical knowledge and expert instruction, and a combination of virtual learning and in person activities focusing on energy retrofits in Bella Coola, BC and Prince George, BC.
This training is particularly suited for tradespeople or those interested in the carpentry, piping, gasfitting, or HVAC, and electrical trades.
For more information, contact emilie_borodine@bcit.ca.
The We Are One training program is a collaborative project that supports Indigenous Youth to pursue careers in the high-performance building sector. It provides culturally appropriate courses that empower Indigenous youth to connect with their culture, build confidence and skills related to sustainable building construction.
This was a collaboration with Aboriginal Housing Management Association, Cheakamus Centre, and BCIT’s ZEB Learning Centre.
