Fidelis Akoum
“No certificate is useless. It adds credibility to the individual, it adds credibility to the company and it adds credibility to the construction industry.”
Fidelis Akoum, GSC, Project Safety Coordinator
Fidelis is a project safety coordinator for a construction management company in Edmonton, Alberta. His daily tasks include providing orientation to all new workers, inspecting the sites and ensuring employees on site are following the practices and procedures laid out for them.
Fidelis immigrated over to Canada where he settled in Alberta. During this time, he noticed that the construction industry was booming and was quickly drawn to the idea of employment in construction. In 2013 he took the National Construction Safety Officer course with the Alberta Construction Safety Association. He was hired as a health and safety technician for a few months before becoming the project safety coordinator for the company he is currently with. During a review with his regional safety manager, he mentioned his goal is to become a supervisor and his employer recommended the Gold Seal Certification program as a great asset to help him achieve his goal.
When Fidelis received his letter of confirmation on passing the Gold Seal Certification, he quickly told his employer. His employer was impressed and forwarded the news to the vice president who then sent a congratulatory message to him. “It was like, up in heaven,” the quick recognition he received on his achievement from the company, his coworkers and the industry were instant gratification for him.
Fidelis believes some of the main benefits of having his Gold Seal Certification include career growth, recognition with a nationally recognized certification and that it reinforces a company when negotiating new contracts. “It’s not a job you are doing, it’s a career. This qualification opens up doors for you. It’s career growth!”