Creating training for the home building industry in Newfoundland and Labrador
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association - Newfoundland and Labrador (CHBA-NL) represents 200+ employers and members involved in the residential construction industry — including homebuilders, renovators, land developers, trade contractors, product and material manufacturers, building product suppliers, lending institutions, insurance providers, and service professionals.
CHBA-NL engaged Training Works to research, create, and implement a training strategy with the goal of adapting NL homebuilders to changing market demands, new technologies, and to prepare them for long-term success.
With the help of the association and its members, a structure was soon formalised to identify, select, and develop the training program. A Training Oversight Committee was set up to help identify training trends for the project, while Training Works and the selected trainers worked with Individual Focus Groups to direct the specific training requirements of each homebuilder.
Despite a provincial economic downturn, 96 participants from 35 companies were part of CHBA-NL’s training project, compared to the initial participation target of 50 employees. In addition, a total of 32 professional certifications were awarded.
Step 1
Document Review and Key Informant Interviews
A systematic review of many published reports and online resources was completed to help contextualise and align the project with industry best practices. Key informant interviews with CHBA-NL’s executives were also conducted, with the focus on understanding the current state of skill development within the NL homebuilding industry.
Step 2
Organizational Mapping
Each individual training session was mapped, and a clear baseline from which to build an inventory of skills and competencies required for success was developed. Interviews were carried out with training participants and their employers to:
Identify individual job responsibilities and skills.
Identify barriers to success within the target positions.
Solicit feedback for skills the participants (and their employers) would like to optimize.
Step 3
Competency Identification
The information gathered in the previous steps was integrated into Competency Models which:
Identified the specific skills required and lacking.
Described the activities or behaviours linked to each competency.
Step 4
Training Recommendations and Development
To meet the skills and competencies identified for development, the training program and content was developed, in line with the industry certifications.
