Special to Ontario Construction News
Buildforce Canada estimates that the construction industry will need to recruit more than 300,000 new workers over the next decade to keep pace with demand.
Currently, about five per cent of the nearly 1.1 million tradespeople employed in the industry are women. Statistics Canada reports that one in five women who enroll in apprenticeship programs choose traditionally male-dominated trades like carpentry, welding, and electrician.
At Ontario Construction News we believe recognizing achievements and encouraging more women to enter skilled trades training programs is an important part of the solution to that shortage.
Madeline Amodeo is one of the women making a difference in the Canadian construction industry.
Amodeo joined the Rinomato Group of companies in July 2020 in a dual role as an executive assistant to the president of RGC and health and safety coordinator for Torino Drywall Inc. (a division of RGC). Early in her tenure at the company, her role in safety became more prevalent as support was needed to help manage the effects of nearly 700 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“From managing COVID-19 cases, to procuring and delivering safety supplies and testing kits to over 30 job sites, Madeline’s role was crucial to preventing COVID-19 at our company,” said Dante Mancuso, director of human resources at Rinomato Group.
“Further, her work ensured that Torino Drywall could maintain its operations and continue to employ hundreds of workers to feed their families.”
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Although COVID-19 created a major workload, Amodeo was also able to bolster the company’s safety program, resulting in great feedback from large construction builders such as EllisDon, Tridel and PCL.
Torino’s safety program became one of the strongest amongst sub-trades in high-rise residential and across residential drywall companies. Madeline implemented digital programs, from QR codes for equipment inspections to full Inspection, Hazard Analysis, and injury reporting, all completed on a supervisor’s or workers’ phone. This led to an increase in safety usage, and the company has reported over 11,000 e-signatures in 2022 alone.
“Madeline’s approach to safety is firm, but fair – and creates efficiencies that allow the construction schedule to move forward smoothly, while also maximizing the workers’ safety on the job site,” Mancuso said. “From worker of the month awards to engaging the workforce in social media, Madeline has greatly and positively impacted the safety space.
Further, Amodeo’s recent project is in the area of skills development and training, she helps new workers, immigrant workers new to Canada, and apprentices receive training from seasoned drywallers who are on modified / light duties. This allows workers who sustain an injury at work able to impart their knowledge and skills to the next generations of builders.
Congratulations Madeline!
The Rinomato Group of Companies (RGC) is a global leader in land acquisition, construction and real estate development. Over the past sixty years, the Group has completed thousands of residential, commercial, industrial and mix-use properties to their trademark standards of construction excellence.