New jobs program at the Ottawa Mission to teach community members how to become building superintendents

The Ottawa Mission is launching a new initiative to teach vulnerable community members to obtain employment.

On Tuesday, the Mission announced it is launching the Maintenance Services Training Program, which at first will teach students to become building superintendents.

"There is a huge need. There's no other place that we know, across Canada that is doing a program for building superintendents," said Andy Higgs, manager of maintenance with the Ottawa Mission.

Higgs will be sharing his knowledge, providing classroom and hands on experience in what it takes to operate a building,

"They're going to be doing anywhere from minor plumbing, minor electrical, minor drywall. And they're the eyes and ears of the building. They're there every day. They're assessing, and they're keeping the building operational," he said.

Higgs says this training, will lead to employment.

 “100 per cent there will be work for them. We've got, a couple large donors who also for our first year, has been willing to take them on and give them employment," he said.

FOOD TRAINING PROGRAM MARKS 20TH ANNIVERSARY

The maintenance program builds on the success of the Mission’s Food Training Program, which has trained hundreds of students to work in commercial kitchens across Ottawa,

"This is how you end homelessness," said Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley.

"You provide people with hope and dignity and a chance at a career so that they can move on into a one bedroom or two bedroom apartment."

Tilley says the food program has graduated 373 people, 90 per cent of whom have gone into careers at the time of graduation.

"It's helped change people's lives," says Chef Ric Allen-Watson, Director of Food Services at the Ottawa Mission.

"It gave them dignity. It gave them hope. It gave them a chance. And, you know, I was in the same position myself one time. And just to have that opportunity as someone who believes in you is, it's it's what it's all about."

Sheila Whyte, FSTP Partner and owner of Thyme & Again, has hired students from the program throughout the years.

"Ric's program, he runs a very tight ship, and the students that arrive in our kitchens are very well trained. Comfortable working in commercial kitchens with a real drive and passion to do a great job. And we've seen that with every student that comes through the door."

Sammy Amponsah graduated from the food services training program in 2007 and is employed as a kitchen manager. "It has really helped me to setup for my better future – it really has helped me a lot," he tells CTV News Ottawa.

Tilley says, like the beginnings of the food program, the building maintenance program will start small, graduating four people to start, with hopes of it growing. 

"I would love to see the maintenance services training program grow. Along the lines is the food services training program that in 10 or 20 years from now, it may not be myself and Andy and Chef Rick, but somebody will be here celebrating the success of this program and the number of graduates that are coming out of that program," he said.

The program will be free to students and is funded by donations.

"As with the Food Services Training program, the Maintenance Services Training program, the only buy-in they need is their time commitment and effort, and we’ll turn them into a successful career," Tilley said.