First graduates of the Building Official Fundamentals Certificate program will be the future of the building industry
November 25th, 2020, Vaughan, Ont. – The OBOA, in partnership with George Brown College Continuing Education, is pleased to announce the first graduates of the Building Official Fundamentals Certificate program.
“With so many construction projects on the go, we’ve known for a long time that Ontario needs more building officials to ensure building safety. That’s why we created this program,” says Grant Brouwer, President of the OBOA. “We are very proud of this graduating class. They are the future of the building industry in Ontario, and we hope to have many more students enrolled in this program moving forward.”
The Building Official Fundamentals Certificate program was created in 2019, to address the current shortages of skilled building officials in municipalities across the province. Under this program, students who complete the certificate program are fast-tracked to the OBOA Building Code Qualified (BCQ)-Housing certification, a first step in securing a path to becoming a building official.
“When George Brown College partnered with the OBOA several years ago, our goal was to provide better training programs to enhance the success of our students,” says Joseph Sirianni, Chair, Technology and Trades for George Brown College Continuing Education. “One of the first initiatives to this end was the creation of the Building Officials Fundamentals Program which focuses not only on the building code but also the soft skills required to be successful. On behalf of George Brown College, we are extremely proud of the first group of graduates.”
Sixteen students graduated from the Building Fundamentals Certificate program this past Spring and as part of the commitment to the program, the OBOA will connect these students to job opportunities in municipalities across Ontario.
Bennison Siu is one such graduate who received his BCQ designation in Housing from the OBOA after completing the certificate at George Brown.
“I strongly encourage anyone who is out there wanting to get into this industry to participate in this program,” he says. “Not only is it a great time to enter this profession now, but also an excellent opportunity to make an impact in our community. As a building official, we provide the final line of quality assurance to ensure that all Ontarians deserve to be in safe buildings. We are the guardians that make a safe Ontario.”
View the graduates and their profiles here.
About the OBOA: Founded in 1956, the Ontario Building Officials Association (OBOA) supports the construction of safer, more sustainable and accessible buildings in Ontario. The OBOA delivers training and certification to Building officials, promotes uniform code application, works with industry partners, and policy makers with a goal to advance the Building Official profession.
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For more information contact: Priya Ramsingh, Senior Communications Lead,
437-247-2497, priya@oboa.on.ca