Nearly 300 students from the Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies (CCET) gathered recently to network and discuss fostering safe work environments with some of the most successful leaders of Ontario construction companies.
George Brown College (GBC) hosted long-term industry partner League of Champions for the event in November, a cross-sectoral organization dedicated to health and safety excellence in construction workplaces.
Industry leaders were able to spend time talking with students in small groups, making sure their voices were heard. Companies represented by leaders included Infrastructure Health & Safety Association, Brookfield Properties, Gillam Group Inc., Matheson Constructors Ltd., Multiplex Construction Canada Ltd., NORCAT and the Council of Ontario Construction Associations.
Students were able to ask the leaders questions about workplace safety such as: How do you build a safe work environment? How do you know if your work environment is safe? What do you do if a co-worker or your supervisor asks you to perform a task you believe to be unsafe?
The successful event at Casa Loma Campus was the first in three years since the last League of Champions event with the college, due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We paused these seminars and many similar in-person events, of course, out of concern for all of our health and safety… For several years, we took a break from gathering to talk about important safety issues, for the sake of safety,” GBC President Dr. Gervan Fearon said in his welcoming speech. “There is little more important than keeping ourselves and one another safe in our workplaces.”
Guest speaker Craig Lesurf, President of Gillam Group, agreed, “George Brown College has truly demonstrated dedication to encouraging a culture of safety through this event.”
Dean of CCET, Dr. Adel Esayed, was delighted with the overall attendance and outcome of the event, noting that they’ve received positive feedback from students since.
“To build culture safety and the safety is the responsibility of everyone,” he said.
For a centre that provides so much crucial industry experience before graduation, the League of Champions event is an important look at the reality CCET students will enter and the future they can help shape.
“We’re soon approaching a decade of partnership with the League of Champions and have collaborated on numerous events. There's no doubt that these initiatives have profoundly influenced our emerging professionals to promote and demonstrate safe, healthy workplace practices,” said JD Oxford, Manager, Industry Liaison Office of CCET.
Interested in a career in the trades? Learn about programs at our Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies.
