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BladeRunners - Fact Sheet

Started in 1994, BladeRunners has helped construction businesses meet their labour needs in a shrinking labour force.  Drawn from a group of at-risk disadvantaged young men and women, employers have discovered these youth are motivated and ready to work hard.

As a Government of British Columbia initiative, BladeRunners provides employer partners with participants who can develop transferable skills into any field of construction trades.

Click on the titles below to jump to these sections on this page:

• History – The BladeRunners Story

• Successes – facts and achievements

• Mandate and Goals

• How BladeRunners Works

• Where BladeRunners is available in British Columbia

• Partners and Funders

• Some Host Companies of BladeRunners

• Contact Information

Print copies of this information and the BladeRunners brochure for Employers:

• Fact Sheet - PDF version of this information – Adobe Acrobat (1.5 MB)

• BladeRunners Brochure for Employers – PDF version / Adobe Acrobat (2.4 MB)

History - The BladeRunners Story

During the construction of Vancouver’s GM Place in 1994, Jim Green, a prominent Downtown Eastside community activist saw an opportunity to match construction labour needs with disadvantaged, ‘street-involved’ youth.  He believed these youth just needed an opportunity, and industry appropriate tailored training with on-the-job support for these youth to succeed.

Mr. Green secured 25 job placements for these youth with the GM Place construction to start the BladeRunners pilot program.  After two years the Government of British Columbia began formally supporting the program.

Successes

BladeRunners has a proven track record.  Province wide, the program maintains an 80% success rate of participants remaining self-sufficient in the construction trades after two years.

In Vancouver, BladeRunners achieves job placements of 98%, of which participants are:

• 95% Aboriginal and

• 28% female.

BladeRunners Mandate and Goals

This award-winning model has effectively and efficiently enabled quality services to be provided to at risk youth and the community for over 10 years.  The mandate is:

“…to provide unemployed marginalized at-risk-youth with on-going support, job readiness skills, and work-place training so that they can overcome their barriers to employment and achieve long-term attachment to the workforce.”

BladeRunners…

• Identifies and recruits candidates aged 15 to 30 (19 to 30 in some regions) who have multiple barriers to employment.

• Prepares participants for job placement with job readiness skills through a structured standardized training program.

• Provides participants with local meaningful work experience through on the job training to enhance their long-term employment prospects.

• Creates on going support for participants to ensure long-term attachment to the workforce, and where possible, laddering individuals into apprenticeship positions in the trades.

• Identifies, creates, maintains and strengthens partnerships with key stakeholders such as youth, community organizations, employers, trade unions, post-secondary institutions, and various levels of government.

How BladeRunners Works

The BladeRunners model ensures overall consistency, continuity, integrity and identity through a provincially standardized service delivery model that reflects the original intent and purpose of the program, yet at the same time offers regional flexibility.

The BladeRunners model is built on the foundation of cooperation, success and measurable results for all.  These are outlined in the BladeRunners mandate and objectives.  The participant, employer/industry and the BladeRunners coordinator work closely to ensure that all partners benefit and participants succeed.

Job Coach

Crucial to the model is the on-going support provided by the BladeRunners Job Coach 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This support provides:

• Regular on-site monitoring and involvement that helps to create stability and assurance for both participants and employers

• After hours support to the participants to assist with personal problems and crises so that they do not interfere with the job

• Up to 18 months on-the-job support until the foreman feels the participant is self-sufficient and doing well

Youth Training Program

• Participants enter a three-week training program that prepares them for the typical construction work place.  Training includes these modules:

• Life skills such as work ethics, goal setting, communications skills, health, wellness, time, financial and anger management

• Job readiness skills, which helps them to build their self-esteem and confidence

• Certified courses – WHMIS, Health and Safety / WCB Awareness, Confined Space Awareness, Ladders / Scaffold / Rigging Safety, Respirator Awareness, Fall Protection, First Aid Level 1

• Hearing tests

• On-the-job support of up to 18 months for workplace communication to enhance long-term employability

This development of long-term attachment to the workforce is also a unique component of the BladeRunners model.  It is what sets BladeRunners apart from other short-term programs that emphasize quick results rather than the individual and businesses’ success over a long period.

After three months, BladeRunners Job Coaches work to identify apprenticeship opportunities.  Participants entering apprenticeships receive support for related academic upgrading.

Other assistance may include referrals to community agencies and affordable housing.  BladeRunners may also provide hot meals, bus tickets, incentive allowances (select regions only), basic safety equipment and basic rain gear.

Multi-Sectoral Partners

The final key component of the BladeRunners model is the multi-sectoral partnerships that are developed between the youth, community, employers, trades unions, post-secondary institutes, and various levels of government.  The roles and responsibilities are outlined in the Delivery Agent’s “BladeRunners Guidelines and Framework Agreement 2004.”

Where is BladeRunners available?

Community partners help to bring BladeRunners to BC communities.

…and we are expanding.

Partners and Funders

With our partners, BladeRunners has made many contributions to BC communities.  This has provided the formula for successful youth entrance into the trades creating the foundation for expansion of BladeRunners to other areas.  ACCESS and the BC Government are looking for other partners.

BladeRunners is a Province of British Columbia employment program that is managed by ACCESS. We gratefully acknowledge the financial contributions of the following funders:

• Ministry of Community Services

• Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance

• Service Canada

• Aboriginal Human Resources Development Agreement (AHRDA) holders – ACCESS and Coast Salish Employment and Training Society (CSETS)

• Various First Nations

• Westbank Corps and other Industry Partners

Some Company Hosts

Become a BladeRunners Partner Today