On August 23rd, a group of 7 students became the first to finish the 6-week intensive training program. Family and friends joined together in celebration as the graduates looked back at their time in the training and reflected on what they found the most challenging and the new skills they learned.
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One of the graduates, Israel, was a civil engineering technician back in his home country of Zimbabwe and loved the practical elements of the training. “Now I have hard skills that I can use in my day-to-day living as well as when I go to work in building maintenance or as a superintendent.” He says the program helped him to blend his existing knowledge with North American standards.
A training of theory and practice
The training is not only practical but also covers the knowledge needed to work in the field. The program’s instructor Eduardo Bermudez says, “We start at the basics and look at the definition of the building maintenance and superintendent role. We look at the job duties and how you’re supposed to perform the role in a responsible way.”
The course delves into how buildings function in the City of Toronto including waste management, plumbing, electricity, and fire systems. Then the participants get a chance to practice their skills of painting, dry walling, and other day-to-day maintenance jobs.
“We also look at how the office works and how to do work orders,” says Eduardo. “Those things are key in the running of a residential building. We cover a lot and the training is all put together in a way that is understandable and enjoyable.”
Looking ahead
The graduates will now wait for the next part of their training, a 4-week work placement, and then hope that their new qualification will land them a job in the field. In the meantime, a new cohort will be starting next month with another to follow in November.
Visit the BMST page on our website to learn more or to add your name to the waitlist.
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