From Opportunity to Apprenticeship: The Millwright Regional Council’s Collaborative Model for Workforce Growth
Sarnia, ON – One year ago, UBC Millwright Local 1592 Sarnia partnered with Bruce Power and community organizations to launch the Introduction to Millwrighting (ITM) program at the Nuclear Innovation Institute in Bruce County. The goal was clear: create meaningful pathways into the skilled trades while aligning opportunities with real project demand in the energy sector.
Designed to support industry demand for meaningful opportunities for women, Indigenous, and underrepresented communities, the six-week program blends classroom instruction with hands-on experience. This balanced approach prepares participants to confidently transition into apprenticeship opportunities within Canada’s growing industrial workforce.
The impact over the past year has been significant — both for the industry and for the individuals involved. “The ITM has opened doors for me that I never thought possible,” said Matt Duncan, one of the program’s graduates. Talon Foreman echoed that experience: “The ITM program made it so easy to be welcomed into the trade, I feel very privileged to have this opportunity. I’m proud to be part of the millwrights and eager to see where the trade brings me in life.”
“Strategic collaboration between labour and industry is essential to economic growth.” Said Mark Beardsworth, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Millwright Regional Council. “By working directly with major employers like Bruce Power, the MRC is creating new job opportunities and aligning training with real project demand, ensuring that apprentices transition into meaningful careers backed by strong wages, benefits, and pension security.”
With half of the inaugural cohort made up of women, the program is also helping to reshape who sees themselves in the skilled trades. McKenna Brown, now nearly a year into her apprenticeship, reflects on how the program changed her trajectory. “I am now earning more than I ever thought I could achieve; my benefits and pension plan are great perks of the trade. The people I work with are always willing to lend a hand and teach me new skills. I wouldn’t suggest any other course to women interested in joining the trades than pre-apprenticeship programs such as the ITM.”
Beyond individual success stories, the Millwright Regional Council’s ITM program is strengthening the local community, supporting economic growth in Bruce County, and helping ensure a sustainable future for our nations energy and industrial sectors.
One year later, the Introduction to Millwrighting program stands as a model of what collaboration, inclusion, and forward-thinking workforce development can achieve.
About the Millwright Regional Council
The Millwright Regional Council (MRC) is composed of twelve affiliated Local Unions of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) across Canada. The UBC Millwrights are vital partners in diverse industries such as energy, automotive, aerospace, food processing, and pharmaceuticals. ubcmillwrights.ca
For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Bredin
Director of Communications
Millwright Regional Council
416-757-5161
abredin@ubcmillwrights.ca
