Newcomers hope to find new life as bricklayers

Seven newcomers to Canada are closer to working as bricklayers in their new home.

The men graduated Friday from the first phase of a bricklaying program in Fredericton meant to train or re-certifythem to work in the New Brunswick construction industry.

The 12-week training came from a partnership between the Department of Post-Secondary Training and Labour, the New Brunswick Community College and the Multicultural Association of Fredericton.

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The program was developed with newcomers in mind, said Lori Leach, the strategic manager of the apprenticeship and occupational certification branch of the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour.

"It's an alternative delivery model at the early stages to deal with language barriers that refugees and newcomers would feel," said Leach.

Vlad Kudish, a Russian immigrant who graduated from the first stage, said he didn't expect to reach that level so soon.

"I didn't expect to go to college, to get a course, to get into this so early," Kudish said.

"I thought I'd work for a year, then save up some money. It just [ended] up that I got very lucky."

Some students already had experience bricklaying. Aass Basadur Subba, originally from Nepal, was one.

"I have three years experience in my country," said BasadurSubba."I love to do bricklaying."

Kudish said he got more than just an education through the course.

"Family, friends, very good friends, support, anything I needed in that particular course," said Basadursubba.

The next step for each of the bricklayers is a work placement with a local construction orcontracting company.