NORCAT, a global leader in the development and provision of training and advisory services for the global skilled labour industries, celebrated the official grand opening of its new training and development office serving clients and partners in the GTA this morning.
Special guest speakers included The Honourable Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development for the province of Ontario, Ron Kelusky, Chief Prevention Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development for the province of Ontario, Don Duval, NORCAT CEO and Dan Fleming, NORCAT Greater Toronto Area Manager.
NORCAT is a global leader in skilled labour training and development focused on developing and delivering programs, services and resources that enhance productivity and safety in the global skilled labour industries. The new office location in the GTA enables NORCAT to more effectively serve the growing base of clients and partners in the GTA construction industry and ensure that the workforce is both productive and safe on the job – all day, every day."
During opening remarks, the Honourable Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development for the province of Ontario, addressed how careers in the skilled trades are rewarding for workers and a boost for the economy, noting that "to keep our trade sectors strong, we need to ensure good occupational health and safety practices." Minister McNaughton welcomed NORCAT to Southern Ontario, expressing that he is "thrilled that NORCAT, a leader in skilled labour training and development, is bringing their expertise to the GTA."
Echoing the sentiment’s from Minister McNaughton, Chief Prevention Officer for the province of Ontario Ron Kelusky noted that "by working together with organizations like NORCAT, we are building a strong and systematic approach to health and safety in the province."
The Greater Toronto Area is one of the fastest growing areas in North America. In recent years, the region’s construction industry has seen increased growth driven by investments from the commercial, institutional, and public sectors. NORCAT’s new office location will offer skilled labour training and development programs and strategic advisory services to construction companies, including compliance and risk management, talent and human capital, and training and development strategies. Additionally, NORCAT is an approved provider of the WSIB Health and Safety Excellence program and a proud member of the League of Champions.
NORCAT’s new office in the GTA represents the sixth in its global network, joining locations in Sudbury, Onaping, Timmins, Thunder Bay and Santiago, Chile. Historically, NORCAT has been recognized for its contribution to the strength of Ontario’s mining and forestry industries. Over the past 25 years, the Ontario mining industry has worked tirelessly to ensure that workers have the right training and skills to do their jobs effectively and safely. During that same 25 year period, NORCAT has engaged and trained over 325,000 skilled labour workers and today, mining is regarded as one of the safest skilled labour industries in the province of Ontario.
Before the ribbon cutting ceremony, NORCAT CEO Don Duval noted that it is this depth and experience, combined with NORCAT’s exceptional team and endless commitment to quality, that the organization is now bringing to Southern Ontario and the construction industry. Stating that the world of work is changing, Duval expressed "the technologies that workers are using in their jobs are changing, and the expectations of how workers want to learn is changing at an unprecedented rate."
"NORCAT understands these complexities and builds meaningful training programs that prepare workers for the in-demand, sustainable and well-paying careers that are critical to the province," Duval continued.
Once the ribbon was cut, attendees were taken on a tour of the new facility and had the opportunity to meet with NORCAT team members, including instructors, consultants and members of the management team, before a class of trainees arrived to attend NORCAT’s Working at Heights program. This course, like most of NORCAT’s training programs, is a combination of instructor-led classroom training and hands-on practical learning.
"We believe that blended learning models are the future of skilled labour training and development," Duval told the crowd of over fifty attendees. "Over the past three years, NORCAT has invested in integrating not only hands-on experiential training and classroom-based training, but also equipment simulation training and avatar-based learning as part of our blended learning service offerings."
"This course was very in-depth and engaging," read recent feedback from a Working at Heights trainee. " NORCAT has provided an exceptional learning experience once again," read another.
NORCAT’s GTA office is open from 8:00am-4:00pm Monday to Friday. For further information, visit www.norcat.org/construction for call 1(647)-317-0915.