By Cheryl Mah

Having a finger on the pulse of the construction industry is an important part of the job for Rod Goy. As the new dean of BCIT’s School of Construction and the Environment, Goy works collaboratively with industry, government and professional organizations to implement solutions in an educational framework.  

Goy attends many industry events and meets annually with key industry members and organizations to “take the temperature” of important issues and to ensure the curriculum is in alignment with its needs. 

“We have really close ties to industry and I spend a lot of time away form here but I need to be in the office too so it’s a balancing act,” he says. 

As the largest trades training institution in B.C., the school plays a vital role in supplying the next generation of workers for the construction industry. 

A pending skilled labour shortage has been identified as a major concern in construction circles for a number of years now. Just how big of a shortage? According to the Construction Sector Council, B.C. could be facing a shortage of 10,000 workers during the 2011-2019 period that will require recruitment from outside the local construction market to meet labour requirements.

“The construction industry is probably the most difficult industry to predict numbers. But labour market studies say we may be seeing a double digit [employment] growth over the next five years, working mostly on infrastructure and natural resource projects,” says Goy. 

He brings a wealth of industry knowledge to his new position with more than 30 years of experience in education and construction. Over that time, he has made many contributions to industry through his work on various regulatory government and industry bodies including sector councils. 

“I’ve been involved in this training and educational process for a long time,” says Goy. “Education has definitely been the common connection throughout my career.” 

The 57-year-old Burnaby native originally attended UBC to study music but left after the third year to become an electrical apprentice in 1975. His father was an electrician and during the summers he worked as an electrical helper, which paid for his tuition. 

“I worked in construction for a couple of years and then switched to GE Canada, a motor winding shop,” recalls Goy. “I finished my apprenticeship with them and was there for 11 years. I loved the work and it took me all over the province.” 

While at GE Canada, Goy also worked for IBEW as chief instructor responsible for developing a training curriculum for members. He then went on to teach with the Langley School District (after completing his teaching degree and B.A.) before becoming the training director of the Electrical Joint Training committee in 1992. 

“That job allowed me to combine education administration, management and my knowledge of the apprenticeship system and I really liked it,” says Goy, who stayed there for 12 years.

In 2002, he sat on the Transition Advisory Committee to provide recommendations for a new industry training and apprenticeship system in B.C. He was one of the inaugural board members on the Industry Training Authority (ITA).