Worksite Training Subsidy for AMBA Members

Would you like a free AMBA membership?

Some of our members had their 2024 AMBA membership dues reimbursed by simply doing what AMBA promotes! Train your employees and you could be eligible for a free 2025 AMBA membership… 

AMBA Members are eligible to receive up to $500 in subsidy towards in-person training of employees for the following certifications: Telehandler, Aerial/Elevated Work Platform, First Aid and Fall Arrest/Protection Training.  

The following conditions apply: 

• Only for in-person training 

• Available to AMBA Member employees 

• 50% of training course cost (up to $500 annual maximum per AMBA member company) 

• Reimbursement of courses will be applied towards 2024 AMBA membership dues 

• Must provide Certificate of Completion and invoice 

• Training must be provided by a reputable accredited institution 

• Subsidy available for all courses completed by December 31, 2024 

To apply: click HERE

Derek Traviss Receives The Jim Mitchell Memorial Award

Congratulations to Derek Traviss! 

Walter Gegolick from Vantage Builders, presented employee, Derek Traviss with the $1,500 AMBA Jim Mitchell Memorial award for completion of his 2nd year in the MBSE program. Congratulations Derek!  

If you are an AMBA member and have an employee enrolled in NAIT or SAIT’s MBSE program, they may be eligible to receive an AMBA bursary or award. To learn more about this program click HERE.

AMBA Membership Committee Report - Summer 2024

Following up on the heels of a very positive and thought provoking AGM in April, it was a real pleasure to host our 20th Annual AMBA Golf Tournament (so appropriately renamed as the Ralph Ward Golf Tournament).   With a full slate of 18 foursomes, we couldn’t have picked a better day, weather wise, at The Ranch.   This event is a highlight of our year for members and friends alike.  Along with healthy competition on the links, there was plenty of good-spirited conversation over drinks and dinner. I did notice how quickly the room quieted down once the food was served.    

As we continue to look for ways to increase our membership, I would strongly suggest that if you invited someone to golf, or know of someone who was at the tournament who is not a member already, please take this opportunity to encourage them to become members.  You can pass on to any Board member the contact information of firms in our industry that you think may benefit from membership. 

We are pleased to welcome Norsteel Building Systems and Azimuth Builders Ltd. as our newest members.  

The strength of any industry association is embedded in a strong membership that reasonably represents as diverse a cross section of its industry as possible.  Collectively, we all need AMBA to remain a strong unified voice for our members who are actively involved in the Metal Building Systems market here in Alberta. The more diverse and larger the body, the more effective we can be as an association in representing the interests of the membership.  

Respectfully, 

Kent Freeland 

Membership Committee Chair 

Women in Trades

Women Leading and Building Canada’s Future 

Empowering women-identifying individuals to pursue a career in the Red Seal skilled trades 

In partnership with the Government of Canada’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy – Women in Skilled Trades, NAIT aims to support more women-identifying individuals pursuing a career in the Red Seal skilled trades before 2027 by:  

• providing financial supports to reduce financial barriers 

• hosting networking and conference events aimed at facilitating learning opportunities for women in the trades (see below for scheduled dates). 

• providing EDI training and curriculum review for skilled trades program instructors and staff at NAIT. 

• providing workplace EDI training to support employers with more diverse and inclusive workplaces 

Event schedule: 

Conference: March 6, 2025 

 Networking events: 

2024: June 12, September 25, November 27 

2025:  January 29, March 26 and May 28. 

To learn more about this program: https://www.nait.ca/nait/schools-programs/school-of-skilled-trades/beyond-the-classroom/women-leading-and-building-canada-s-future 

Nicole Mahoney RSE, Blue Seal Endorsed. 

Interim Construction - Mechanical Department Head 

School of Skilled Trades 

AMBA 2024 Golf Tournament

Winning team Left to Right: Shane Meaver, Adam Samuelson, Chris Stewart, Kyle McKeown

We had a fabulous day for golfing! Ralph Ward’s contributions to AMBA and our industry was celebrated by 72 golfers. With almost every golf hole sponsored, we were able to raise enough money for some pretty amazing prizes and top up our Metal Building System Erector bursary fund.  

It was also such an honour to have Nicole Mahoney from NAIT and Rob McCrea from AIT join us for the day. Our industry appreciates NAIT and the Government of Alberta for educating and certifying our metal building erectors.   

The AMBA Golf Trophy went to the Curber Manufacturing team:  Congratulations to Shane Meaver, Adam Samuelson, Chris Stewart and Kyle McKeown.  

Proximity awards went to the following golfers: 

Longest Putt: Geoff Seale 

Closest to the pin: Steve Triance 

Ladies Longest Drive: Nicole Mahoney 

Men’s Longest Drive: Adam Samuelson 

To view all the tournament photos click HERE. 

Congratulations to our trophy winners and proximity award recipients. Thank you to all our hole sponsors, our members who generously donated prizes, Impact Graphics for supplying the Golf Tournament Banners and table cards and to all our golfers and AMBA members for supporting our metal building industry. 

Apprenticeship and Industry Training

Ironworker MBSE Curriculum Guide is now publicly available in the Open Government Portal:  https://open.alberta.ca/publications/ironworker-metal-building-systems-erector-apprenticeship-curriculum-guide. 

Many thanks to Ken Lodwig who worked tirelessly over the last two years along with representative groups from the Ironworker (IW) industry and instructional staff to create this new AIT product that replaces the previous course outline.  

AIT continues to work with IW stakeholders to prepare the release of new exams in fall/winter 2024 that align with the new curriculum guide. 

If you are a final period apprentice, certified journeyperson, supervisor, employer, trainer or member of a stakeholder organization with knowledge of one or more skilled trades or Alberta’s apprenticeship system and are interested in sharing your ideas, opinions and expertise with AIT, apply now to participate in shaping your trade’s future: https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/awarding-excellence/my-skilled-trades-network/.  

Rob McCrea CT RSE 

Apprenticeship Delivery and Industry Support Services 

Ministry of Advanced Education 

Message from the Chair: Summer 2024

Happy Spring!   

A cold and wet spring has made construction challenging! While Alberta farmers are shouting from the roof tops, the same can’t be said for construction crews navigating mucky sites! 

The AMBA board has been busy planning the 2024 Golf Tournament and steel building construction training sessions. Unfortunately, the response to the June 26 Curb Training session has been disappointing – erector companies have been too busy to take time away from building to attending the session. Although AMBA members identified training as one area where AMBA can provide value to the membership, the board needs more feedback on training timing and content so that we can ensure that we are working on initiatives that will be well supported and valued by our members. 

AMBA’s 20th Golf tournament, hosted at The Ranch Golf and Country Club in Acheson, was a huge success.  With almost all of the 18 holes sponsored and some generous donations, we were able to raise funds for Metal Building System Erector bursaries. The more seasonable weather was enjoyed by 72 golfers where we were able to celebrate Ralph Ward on ‘his game’ and his contributions to our industry and association. Thank you to all our sponsors and golfers for your support! 

Your AMBA board remains committed to working with you, our industry partners. Your support, engagement and feedback are essential to strengthen and build our industry.  

Message from the Chair: Winter 2024

Happy New Year! 

2023 was a great year for the Alberta Metal Building Association (AMBA), starting off with our Annual General Meeting in April.  We had well-respected and informative speakers: Nicole Mahoney, NAIT Ironworker Chair, and Raymond Massey, Chair of the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board. NAIT’s culinary students prepared us a tasty meal – a real haute cuisine experience! We presented a retirement gift to Harv Friesen, a long-time AMBA member, board member, and influential erector in the Metal Building industry. 

The 2023 Golf tournament was also a great success, hosted at Alberta Springs in Red Deer.  With a record number of golfers at 78 and 11 hole sponsors, we were able to give away some pretty awesome prizes and raise $2,050 for the Ukrainian Refugee Fund.

In 2023, the AMBA board increased the Jim Mitchell and Larry Derksen Memorial Awards from $750 to $1500 each, increased the first and second-year bursaries to $750, and added the AMBA Worksite Training subsidy. The board met with industry partners, educators, and the Alberta Government to explore training opportunities, review curriculum modifications, and further support education.

Our strength is in our numbers. With the support of our members, we are able to leverage our industry knowledge and expertise and work with industry stakeholders to promote safe and quality construction of metal buildings throughout Alberta and beyond!