The fastest way to propel your career in construction is to keep yourself up-to-date with the latest tools and knowledge. This might mean going back to school or building up your skills with a personal project during your free time. These are great ways to progress as a skilled tradesperson, although you’ll need to invest more time with these routes.
Update your knowledge and gain new skills with certifications. Not only can you add certifications to your Faber Work profile, but you can also add them to your resume. Certifications are quick and easy to obtain and they require much less investment (both time and money).
Here are three certifications that we recommend to people who are starting or building their careers in construction.
Fall Protection (Fall Safe) Certification
Falls from any height can result in serious injuries. Tripping while jogging or wiping out on your ice skates is no doubt unpleasant. Even simple slips and falls can land you in the emergency room.
This is why Fall Protection (Fall Safe) training is essential in the construction and industrial industries. The Fall Safe training program equips you with the knowledge to reduce and eliminate risks of falling on a job site. This certificate can help keep yourself and your teammates safe from falling.
Whether you are constructing single-detached homes or giant highrises, the possibility of falling from heights exists on almost every project. Most job sites will require Fall Safe when there is a possibility that you can fall from a height of 3 meters (10 feet) or more.
Depending on your state/province, the Fall Safe certification is usually good for 3 years before it expires. It doesn’t take too long to get the certification either. The training program is about 4 hours long and can be done online. If you are expecting to work on a project that requires you to work at heights, then it’s strongly recommended for you to get your Fall Protection certificate.
Asbestos Awareness Certification
You most likely already know this, but to keep it simple: asbestos is bad for you. If you are in the demolition phase of a project, then you could be working around asbestos on your job site. Being exposed to asbestos can have health risks, so you have to be aware and familiar with this material.
This certification covers topics like the types of asbestos, health risks associated with exposure, risk assessment, protecting yourself, and other topics. Keep in mind that only qualified professionals who have taken this certification can remove and handle asbestos.
This certificate is recommended for all workers in the construction industry because you may be working on older buildings. Older buildings, particularly in British Columbia, have been constructed with the use of asbestos. The risk is that the small fibres can be inhaled, which can inflict damage to your long-term health.
There is no expiration date associated with this certificate, however, you may want to take a refresher course. It takes under 2 hours to get your certification and become completely aware of asbestos in the workplace. If you list this certification in your profile, you’ll also be given the ability to work abatement gigs on the Faber Work app.
WHMIS 2015 Certification
The WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) 2015 Certification gives you the knowledge to protect yourself from harmful workplace materials. Fires and explosions can start when certain materials are mishandled. Health problems are a possibility when you are exposed to certain chemicals or gasses. Providing you with the awareness of these dangers is what WHMIS was made for.
Even simple materials such as bleach, paint, and gasses can be deemed unsafe in certain situations under WHMIS. Plenty of materials can be dangerous when handled incorrectly, which is why workplaces require you to have a WHMIS certificate.
Canada’s Hazardous Product Act states that anyone who handles, works with, or is ‘in proximity’ of hazardous materials must have WHMIS 2015 training. You may not see these materials, but they are around you. Compresses gasses, flammable materials, and other dangerously reactive materials are present on a construction site. To protect yourself and others around you, the WHMIS 2015 certification is highly recommended.
Once you have this certification, it usually is good for up to 3 years. One thing to note is that depending on the company you are working with, you may need to get recertified for your WHMIS 2015. It only takes about an hour to get your online WHMIS 2015 Certification, yet adding the WHMIS certification to your Faber Work profile will open the doors to a vast majority of projects.
This certification should be at the top of your list!
Start adding your certifications to your profile
Be sure to add these certifications to your Faber Work profile after you’ve added them to your resume. These certifications show construction companies and contractors that you are eager to learn. Construction-related certifications help show that you put time and investment into developing yourself, which can put you ahead of other applicants.
Ready to start adding your new certifications to your Faber Work profile?
Log into your Faber Work account and enter the “Profile” section. Scroll down to “Gear & Certification”, and tap the pencil icon.
Choose the certificates you want to add to your profile from the options listed. Select “Save” to confirm changes.
Start adding your certifications by signing into the Faber Work app. If you haven’t already, you can sign up for Faber to find construction gigs today.
