Winnipeg, MB – Qualico’s Construction and Procedural Standards (CPS) training program recently saw its first graduates from the Manitoba/Saskatchewan region.

The group of 16 graduates, which included a mix of construction, office, and supply chain staff were treated to lunch and presented with certificates of completion. They also received letters of recognition and congratulations from Qualico’s President and CEO Kevin Van.

The purpose of the CPS training program is to focus on quality improvement, using three pillars as key performance indicators toward success: employee engagement, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction.

David Eggerman, Regional Vice-President, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, said the goal is to meet customer expectations, provide the best customer experience, and mitigate warranty costs.

“This training helps set a consistent standard, ensuring we are creating a better product that our customers will be happier with,” he said. By minimising deficiencies that require subsequent correction, we deliver homes with a more efficient and streamlined turnover process. It also gives all team members a greater understanding of what we do, so they can be more informed and speak more confidently about our products and processes.”

Qualico developed the CPS program in tandem with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). It started in Edmonton and was later implemented in Winnipeg, before being rolled out in Calgary. The Winnipeg program was customized and adapted to match the requirements of Manitoba’s construction industry standards.

While the program was originally designed for construction teams only, it has since expanded to include training options for various staff in all Canadian regions. There is a Housing 101 program; a comprehensive Build Pro program for the office staff, field staff, and warranty team; and a Basic Superintendent Boot Camp for new hires in construction and for those who need to realign or refresh their essential skills.

Derrick Hiltz, Director, Construction Innovation & Development, Qualico, says the training program is customized to Qualico standards, and he hasn’t seen anything else like it in Western Canada.

“The program is instructor-led and is at a level equivalent to trade school-level certification involving a mix of in-class lectures, assignments, case studies, discussion forums, quizzes and workshops.”

On average, the construction training portion of the CPS program takes two years to complete, with 11 modules that each require about 25 hours to finish. However, the first round of Winnipeg graduates took longer to complete the program because of complications from the COVID-19 pandemic during its initial roll out.

In addition to giving participants valuable information to support their careers in construction, the CPS program comes with the added benefit of building and aligning teams, noted Derrick.

“I think the team building exercise is a big advantage, because our field, office, and trade staff aren’t working in isolation anymore,” he said. “Breaking down barriers between different teams and finding common understanding has been phenomenal.”

Soon, the Construction Innovation & Development team will track and display business unit participation by region.  The team is also designing an advanced construction training program for field-level managers and middle managers to reduce cycle time.

By helping all staff build better relationships with customers and ultimately better homes, the CPS program is working to enhance the customer experience while giving Qualico a competitive edge in the market.

Alphonse Pilon, Senior Vice-President, Single Family Homes, emphasized the importance of driving success across Qualico’s operations. Of the 16 program graduates, 11 are part of the Qualico Single Family team.

“The CPS training program is a critical component in differentiating Qualico employees in delivering outstanding results,” said Alphonse. “I want to congratulate all the graduates of this program and extend my gratitude to the instructors for delivering a world-class program. Qualico’s dedication to our employees’ education and commitment to customer satisfaction is the combination that helps us deliver exceptional family homes.”