SUCCESS STORIES
Steve's Story
When the oil rig he was working on in Saskatoon, Alberta ran out in 2000, Steve Kish moved to Vancouver in search of a fresh beginning. Living in the Downtown Eastside, Steve recalls how he made ends meet by working in low-wage positions. After undergoing a challenging period of substance abuse and recovery, Steve eventually found himself back in the job search market.
He heard about Building Opportunities with Business through friends who had participated in BOB’s programs. Steve was connected to Materials Handler Training in August, a program sponsored by Building Opportunities with Business, VANOC, and Fast Track to Employment Coalition (FTEC).
Training consisted of one week of life-skills lessons and classroom work at Tradeworks Training Society, followed by a week of training on location in Delta at the VANOC warehouse facility. Steve graduated with flying colours earning his Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System [WHMIS] and First Aid certifications. “The training was excellent,” he says, “I got a lot out of it. I was scared at first because I hate tests, but I actually got pretty good marks.”
Upon graduation, Steve was hired by VANOC’s warehouse facility. “Working [at VANOC] is great,” he says, “they’re good people, they let you work at your own pace and safety is everything.”
“More programs like this should definitely be offered.”