NBMAP Mentor Moment: Mario Arseneault

Mario Arseneault, veteran employee in the woodlands industry, is currently employed as Public and Corporate Relations with Chaleur Sawmills Ltd. in Belledune. Mario attended NBMAP’s M.E.N.T.O.R. Approach training with a diverse group of the sawmill employees in 2017. He would strongly recommend this curriculum to journeypeople as well as administration and production staff.

Mario feels this opportunity highlights the importance of training and having a workplace mentor. What really caught his attention “was the fact that some older employees never had the chance to speak out about their knowledge and this training gave them the opportunity to speak loud and clear about everything they know. The session provided them with the communication tools to effectively mentor a new generation.”

Marie-Pier Dubé, industrial electrician at Chaleur Sawmills, feels Mario is a great mentor because he is encouraging, follows her achievements, comes to all women in trades networking events and is always available to answer questions and help if needed. “The mill had never had a woman in the trades. He did the extra step to get me in so I was able to prove myself and show my boss that a woman can do the job. Without Mario, I don’t think I would have gotten the same chance”. Chaleur Sawmills has since hired at least four more women in skilled trade positions. Marie-Pier explained “when you are an apprentice, you don’t need someone to follow you all the time, but it’s good to have someone knowing how you are making out, and how you are improving. Mario has always kept himself informed to know if I was accepted by my co-workers, if I’m doing good and if there is anything more that I would need.”

Mario believes “mentorship is important in the workplace because it is fundamentally about knowledge transfer from one person or generation to the next. It also helps encourage a safer work environment where all employees are striving to do their jobs safely and efficiently. It also helps with overall morale by boosting self-confidence and ultimately productivity”. He fully supports the efforts, by organizations like MAP Strategic Workforce Services, to train mentors to teach and guide apprentices effectively.

NBMAP is extremely proud of the dedication Mario has demonstrated towards increasing mentorship as part of the workplace culture at Chaleur Sawmills!

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