Building Our Community

Welcome to the future of Construction in Canada!

​The Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board introduces its Construction Academy.  The Construction Academy is a unique program that provides students with apprenticeship and employment opportunities in the construction industry while providing employers with a new source of workers to address skills shortages. Participating students are given the opportunity to start their apprenticeship while in high school through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and gain real “on the job” experience. This program is available to all WECDSB students but delivered at two WECDSB schools:   F. J. Brennan and St. Joseph’s Catholic High Schools.
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Construction Academy Students Tour Job Sites
Students form the Academy recently toured the new Windsor City Hall Site, a new residential development by Timberland homes, and took o full tour of the Gordie Howe International Crossing.
Year Two Starting September 2018
The construction industry is the second largest industry in North America. If you think it’s all about hammering nails and pouring cement, think again. Construction is a $130-billion industry that accounts for more than 12% of Canada’s economy. Because of its magnitude, it offers a great deal of career opportunities.
With the recent housing boom in the Windsor region, many lucrative career opportunities are available for our youth in this sector. "Windsor’s housing boom could even be hotter. Dennis Gerrard of the local homebuilders’ association said a shortage of skilled workers in the home construction trades has created a “bottleneck” in getting new homes quicker to market" Windsor Star, April 12, 2017

​This industry needs sharp, talented, and competent young people. It needs people like you! Due to an aging workforce, this industry needs them now and will need them next year, five years from now, and thereafter. Hundreds of jobs and a major economic boost for Windsor is less than a couple years away now that the final stage of bidding has been launched to select a builder for the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Positions in this industry have been hard to fill due to a lack of qualified applicants. In a recent employer survey, 71% of employers plan to hire in the next year.

Construction careers are cool. The demand is high. The wages are great and you can earn while you learn. There are opportunities for advancement to foreperson, supervisor, estimator, project manager or business owner.  
For a complete program overview, click here.
​St. Joseph's students Thomas Kennedy, left, Josh Gaudreau and Jacob Gagnier receive instruction from teacher Cory McAiney on April 19, 2017, during the announcement of Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board's Construction Academy. Photo by Dan Janisse / Windsor Star    April 19, 2017
To read the full article, click here.
Pamea Breault, Operations Manager for Habitat for Humanity Windsor Essex: “This is really a match made in heaven. We’ll be able to help even more people throughout Ontario achieve their dreams of home ownership, and students will receive invaluable hands-on experience, and the satisfaction of knowing they have helped someone less fortunate.” For the full article, click here 
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To download the brochure, click below.
Program Overview

Industry & Community Partners

There are 2 focus streams in the Construction Academy:  Carpentry and Masonry
This program incorporates Dual Credits, Co-op credits, Construction credits and an accelerated OYAP component with 2 focus streams: Carpentry and Masonry, offering Level 1 apprenticeship in-school curriculum for 2 trades: Brick and Stone Mason and General Carpenter​
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General Carpenter Trade
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Brick and Stone Mason Trade

CONSTRUCTION Academy Student Schedules: