After more than three decades in the mechanical industry, Ric Mervyn thought he had seen most sides of the construction sector. Starting his career in 1989, Ric spent many years as a senior mechanical supervisor before moving into his current role as a Project Manager. When he joined BCCA’s Building Builders program as a Mentor, he expected to offer guidance and share what he had learned along the way. Instead, he discovered the experience would reshape his perspective in unexpected ways.
Ric was paired with Karan, a newcomer to Canada with international construction experience. Karan joined the program seeking insight into BC’s construction industry, including career pathways, training opportunities, and the steps required to pursue Red Seal certification. With support from Building Builders, including access to SiteReadyBC training, Karan is working toward his long-term goal of becoming a Project Manager in BC’s construction sector.
For Ric, the mentorship journey quickly became more than simply sharing industry knowledge.
“I want to thank you for the opportunity to be a mentor through Building Builders. I felt a little anxious at first that I might be of little help to a Mentee, but the experience turned out to be incredibly rewarding. In many ways, I feel like I got more out of it than I gave.
It gave me a new perspective on immigration and the challenges many talented people face when they come to Canada. Karan is one of many highly educated and hardworking individuals who arrive with valuable experience but still face barriers in having their skills recognized.
I couldn’t imagine leaving everything familiar behind to build a new life somewhere else and encountering those challenges. This experience opened my eyes and helped me see people differently. I’m grateful to Building Builders for giving me that opportunity, and I look forward to meeting the next Mentee and learning what they can teach me about life.”
— Ric Mervyn, BCCA Building Builders Mentor
For Ric, mentoring through Building Builders was about more than offering career advice. It was an opportunity to learn from those entering the industry, hear about the work they’ve done across Canada and abroad, and better understand the challenges they face when building a career in construction here.
Are you interested in becoming a Mentor?
Join Building Builders and help support newcomers as they build their careers in BC’s construction sector, while gaining new insights of your own along the way.