With a knack for construction in his blood, Oskar Peckart ‘22 pursued his career path early on when he took woodshop in high school. After enrolling in a carpentry class, his interest and skills grew from there. 

“My family works in the construction industry and it was a natural fit for me,” he says. “I even completed my high school co-op placement as a summer labourer for a mid-rise construction site.” 

Once Oskar graduated high school, he had his next step planned out. He enrolled in the Construction Engineering Technician program at Mohawk College to expand upon the solid foundation of knowledge he gained early on. 

Mohawk’s Construction Engineering Technician program provides diverse practical training that combines traditional technician theory and skilled trades knowledge required for a career in construction supervision, management and administration.  

After graduating in 2019, Oskar felt a sense of accomplishment. Instead of jumping right into his field, he decided to further his construction know-how by taking another program. 

“I wanted to continue my education and was able to transfer some of my credits over to the Architectural Technology program. I wanted to learn as many parts of the construction business as I could during my schooling and my work terms,” Oskar says. 

Mohawk’s Architectural Technology program prepares students to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in the development, documentation and management of the sustainably built environment that exists in today’s workforce.  

During his second Mohawk program, Oskar completed three co-op placements that better prepared him for a solid career.  

“All of my co-op placements were with Branthaven Homes,” he says. “These placements were in different parts of the company, which helped diversify my knowledge and skills.” 

Today, Oskar works as a design center construction liaison with Branthaven Homes, one of Mohawk’s Future Ready Premium Employers. With some days at the design center and others on job sites, his work is always interesting.  

Oskar says, “Every day is different and never boring. I’m always doing something to challenge my expertise. I most enjoy the interesting problem-solving situations at my job.” 

As a Premium Employer, Branthaven demonstrates its commitment to the education and training of future ready graduates. Skilled trades workers provide a critical role in the completion of homes built by Branthaven. They also support and advocate for the Women in Technology and Trades (WiTT) program and City School, which provides rapid skills training to people in marginalized and disadvantaged communities. 

The construction field is expanding and more skilled trades professionals are needed. For those looking to follow a similar path, Oskar has some key advice. 

“Take time to learn as much you can when working on a job site. The things you can plan for and anticipate with real world experience will be invaluable anywhere in this industry,” he says.