Residential Construction Program

Your Career Starts Here…
A desk job is the last thing you want – you crave the excitement, outdoor air and a well-paid career in construction. Most companies within the residential construction sector are small, giving you more opportunities to prove yourself and move quickly into intermediate positions. Backed with your hands-on training from Discovery Community College, you will build your career creating homes for families and contributing to the growth of your community.

This program offered in: Nanaimo

2012 Start Dates

Nanaimo: May 16th/2012
Maple Ridge: TBA

Program Overview

According to the most recent BC labour market forecast released by the Construction Sector Council in February 2011, several construction-related trades and occupations will experience great growth between 2011 and 2019. Also during this time 31,000 workers are expected to retire from the labour force, raising the labour requirement for the province to 32,600 workers. With only 22,400 expected new entrants, construction workers are going to be in high demand.

Our program features small class sizes, with a maximum ratio of 12 students per instructor. Graduates of our programs are equipped with the confidence that can only be gained with experience, valuable skill sets, and an ongoing support network as they enter this highly paid workforce. Participants will develop core abilities in the following areas:

Safety:

Construction industry orientation; career access skills; tool and equipment maintenance; drawings, specifications, and layouts; practicum experience.

Forming:

Concrete formwork; rigging practices; door and window installation; renovation; building sciences; practicum experience.

Framing:

Floor, wall, stairs, and roof construction; practicum experience.

Finishing:

Building envelope systems installation; thermal and sound insulation; drywall; interior finish prep and painting; doors and hardware; interior trim; suspended ceilings.

Work-Based Program:

Apply skills and knowledge in a co-op employment; complete 21 competencies (11 mandatory) and 500 hours of practice as required by the ITA for RCFT Certificate of Qualification.

Program Options and Lengths

Residential Construction Foundation Skills & Safety (RCFoundation)
12 week certificate program (semester A) – mandatory prerequisite for all construction combinations.

Residential Construction Forming (RCForming)

12 week certificate program (semester B)

Residential Construction Framing (RCFraming)

12 week certificate program (semester C)

Residential Construction Finishing (RCFinishing)

12 week certificate program (semester D)

Construction Work-Based (RCWork)

10 week program – must be taken as part of another program.

Residential Construction Foundation & Forming (RCFForming)

24 week certificate program (semesters A + B)

Residential Construction Foundation & Framing (RCFFraming)

24 week certificate program (semesters A + C)

Residential Construction Foundation Forming & Framing (RCFForming/Framing)

36 week certificate program (semesters A + B + C)

Residential Foundation Forming Framing & Finishing (RCFForming/Framing/Finishing)

48 week diploma program (semesters A + B + C + D)

Residential Construction Foundation Forming Framing & Work-Based (RCFForming/Framing/Work)

36 week diploma program plus 10 week work-based program (semesters A + B + C + coop)

Residential Construction Foundation Forming & Framing (RCFFoming/Finishing)

48 week diploma program plus 10 week work-based program (semesters A + B + C + D + coop)

Admission Requirements

•19 years of age or older on first day of classes (with the exception of programs that lead to a certificate of qualification in Residential Construction Framing Technician – these candidates must be 16 years of age or older).

•Applicants must successfully complete and submit all application forms and entrance assessments.

•Candidates should be physically fit with good manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and balance. The Industry Training Authority (ITA) recommends completion of grade 10.

•Please note, Residential Construction Foundation Skills/Safety must be satisfactorily completed before students can start any other Residential Construction Programs.

For more information on this program and its other admission requirements, please download our Residential Construction Program Outline. (link to PDF download)

Learn More

Please call Reception at 1-877-315-5241 to book an appointment with a Career Advisor at any of our locations to get a look and feel for our programs and their benefits.

We can then go over the program in more detail including program curriculum, certifications, employment outcomes, prerequisites, costs, and funding options.