Building bridges
Dexter partnership leads to hiring local Mi’kmaq
Newly hired Mi’kmaq workers are getting rave reviews from Atlantic Canada’s largest heavy civil construction company.
“This September we offered fulltime employment to two local Mi’kmaq who graduated from our heavy equipment operator program,” said Brad Johnson, director of training for Dexter Construction. “These Mi’kmaq workers are a great addition to our skilled workforce.”
Dexter Construction has about 2,000 employees and is part of the Municipal Group of Companies. It has partnered with the Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office in an effort to have more local Indigenous people in their workforce.
Troy Zahara from Membertou and Shawn Mason from Indian Brook, are now full-time employees of Dexter.
Zahara and Mason were two of 20 students in a 15week training program at the Dexter Institute Private Career College in Bedford. Training is followed by a three-month paid work term that leads to an offer of full-time employment upon graduation. Johnson said they had more than 100 applications for the training program and could only accept 20.
“We were thrilled to have local Mi’kmaq as part of this class; they really impressed us during the interview process,” said Johnson.
Tyler Gould, program manager with Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office, said the province of Nova Scotia spends more than $250 million a year on highway construction. He said this annual highway construction work is a great opportunity and presents many job opportunities.
“We want to make sure our people have the training needed to get jobs with large companies like Dexter.”
Gould said this is a big step.
“In recent years, we had success in helping local Mi’kmaq get hired on different highway construction projects, as labourers, and in traffic control. Getting our people into the Dexter Institute, their registered private career college, presents greater opportunity and allows them to become fulltime, permanent employees of this large construction company. It also opens the door to other jobs, including as heavy equipment operators. With experience and further in-house training, they can also move into management positions.”
“Dexter has been a great partner and opened the door for our people,” said Alex Paul, executive director of the Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office. “We are seeing results, seeing jobs — good jobs — and even more opportunity in the future. This is positive for everyone.” Johnson agrees.
“Troy and Shawn are strong additions to the Dexter workforce,” said Johnson. “We look forward to working with Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office to hopefully have many additional Mi’kmaq enter our training program in the years to come.”