Halalt Citizen Project: Building Careers, Rebuilding Community

About the Halalt – Citizen Design Build Project  

The Halalt First Nation in the Cowichan-Chemainus region in Vancouver Island have partnered with Citizen Design Build in an innovative joint training and development project. In 2021, catastrophic flooding destroyed homes in the Halalt community. The plan to rebuild expanded into a training and apprenticeship project where community members could receive training and employment through the construction project. While Construction Foundation of BC is facilitating funding and providing administrative support for the project, SkilledTradesBC is funding the training seats for this Community-Based Training project. 

The carpentry apprentices on this project are Halalt or from neighbouring communities and have varying levels of background in construction and skilled trades. The technical and practical education delivery is unique, in that rather than four weeks of full-time schooling, classroom learning is delivered in a rolling format: two cohorts of apprentices alternate time in the classroom, two weeks each. The apprentices spend the mornings in the classroom and the afternoons on the worksite, accumulating work-based training hours – a great way for apprentices to see and apply their classroom learnings to their projects, firsthand.   

The build and learning pathways are aligned so that the apprentices can achieve their Red Seal certification during this project. An instructor from Vancouver Island University (VIU) teaches adjacent to the site and provides extra support and tutoring, when needed.   

Every apprentice has their own motivations for embarking on their training pathway. We are sharing the stories of three inspiring participants that have overcome their initial fears and achieving their dream of becoming a Red Seal carpenter.  

Clark Good

While there are people who start an apprenticeship earlier in their working career, there are many apprentices who defy expectations and prove that there is no age limit to changing your life. Meet Clark Good, a 53-year-old level 2 Carpentry apprentice on the Halalt-Citizen project. 

In his own words, “It’s never too late. That sky's the limit. If you put your mind to it and you focus on the tasks at hand, there's no stopping you. It doesn't matter how old you are." 

Clark didn't intend on starting an apprenticeship, he had worked in fishing and construction as a labourer but when this opportunity presented itself, he jumped at the chance to participate.  

He was nervous about going back to school, particularly about the math component, so he was relieved when he learned about the support and resources available through Citizen and the VIU instructor.  

Clark’s enthusiasm and dedication to the project goes beyond a pathway to certification – he is deeply invested in rebuilding the community that lost their homes, particularly as a member of a neighbouring Nation.

"Building a house, seeing it from start to finish and to see this done in a Nation that's a neighbour of ours… the success of it is very rewarding and really warms my heart." 

While the certification finish line is still a few years away, Clark is excited about his future with renewed prospects and a dream of entrepreneurship focused on community. After his apprenticeship he would like to continue working with Citizen or start his own business with the intention of training apprentices and giving back to the community.   

Margaret Daniels

Throughout her life, Margaret Daniels has developed an impressive set of skills. As a youth, she participated in cadets, music and sports. Her dad taught her basic mechanics and home repair as life skills and she helped her uncle with roofing. She also spent 15 years as a camp chef before focusing on  renovation work, a couple of years ago.  Margaret is now a level 2 carpentry apprentice in the Halalt-Citizen project. 

As a member of the Halalt First Nation, she experienced  the devastation of the flooding disaster. She was already involved in the restoration of the community when she was approached by the Nation to join this unique project. Initially she was hesitant, as she would be signing up for a significant commitment, not just to work but to train. But two years in and with a solid team around her, she's thriving. She even admitted that she enjoys the classroom time. 

“I find it very interesting to go to school for the mornings and then go back to site for the rest of the day and you get to talk with your supervisor and your peers and talk about what you learned and what you don't understand. They can explain things from their perspectives and teach you different ways.” 

On the worksite, Margaret likes the opportunities to work with different crews and build her ever-expanding set of skills, confidence and leadership capabilities. The project includes customized builds so each house has its own unique learning opportunities.  

"If you want a challenge, I think carpentry is a good trade to get into because you learn a little bit of plumbing, you learn a lot about electrical, you learn about engineering, you learn about designing the homes, which is really cool. In my first year…I designed a carport from start to finish. That's so cool!" 

Entering a carpentry apprenticeship has opened her eyes to so many different avenues and possibilities. As for life after certification, she isn’t quite sure how she wants to combine all her interests and skills but given she’s learned so much in two short years already – she has a whole world of opportunities open to her. 

Tommy Davis

While he may not admit it, perseverance is one of Tommy Davis’ top qualities. In the last stretch of his level 1 of carpentry apprenticeship, he was afflicted with three major health issues back-to-back. Despite the challenges, he continued to persevere and was determined to complete the year because he loves being on the work site. 

"In my heart, I know I don't want to [quit]. I'd rather be in the field. So, I just kept pushing myself and I'm happy I'm here now. It's my best accomplishment so far." 

While Tommy had dabbled in a few careers before, it took some soul searching to commit to the carpentry apprenticeship program with Citizen and Halalt. At his age, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to go back to school but he decided to give it a chance. And now in level 2, he’s excited and very happy to be in this new chapter of his career. 

"It was a tough go at the beginning, but right now I'm very happy and excited that I took this opportunity. All the learning I've been doing so far is improving my skills to move forward into the future." 

Tommy is also aware that while his age may mean some limitations, he also brings a wealth of experience to his younger colleagues including how to observe and navigate working with a diverse group of personalities. As for the future, he’s excited to continue his apprenticeship pathway and eventually achieve certification and see where the future takes him as a Red Seal carpenter.  

To learn more, visit:

• Halalt First Nation 

• Halalt Citizen Project