Celebrating Black History Month 2023

Get to know Jason Noack, Project Manager, Marid Industries

 Jason is a Project Manager with Marid Industries Limited. Jason is also a board member on CANS 2022-2023 Board of Directors. 

Tell us a little bit about how and when you were introduced to the construction industry. When did you know you wanted to build a career in construction?

You could say that I was introduced to construction at a young age. My father was an aircraft technician and thoroughly enjoyed tinkering and innovating his own tools and contraptions. He always made my brother and I pay attention to the details. Later in my teen years, I worked various construction-related jobs (from landscaping to concrete shoring) and began building kitchen cabinets while I was in university. After completing university, I was offered a job as a junior estimator, which is the time I really knew I wanted to build my career in this field. I’ve always had a passion for building things and understanding how different things work, which is why I’ve chosen the construction field for my career.

Did/do you have mentors in the industry?

David Oulton, the founder and original owner of Marid Industries Limited, was a close family friend of my wife.  He was highly respected and considered a trailblazer in the Atlantic construction industry.  When I finished university, he offered me a position at Marid and really took me under his wing. He taught me the ins and outs of the industry and helped me to realize my full potential in my career.  My current employers at Marid continued where Dave left off and see the value in continuing education and company growth.

What piece of advice would you give Black youth entering a career in construction?

There are a lot of barriers in this world, but if you can identify what you want to do, take every opportunity you are presented with, stay focused, and work hard. My hope is that more Black representation in the industry will give Black youth the inspiration to choose the construction industry as their career path.

What is the best piece of advice you received? 

Failure is a given in life — don’t be afraid of it. It is where the real learning takes place and where growth comes from.

What is your proudest moment or accomplishment in your career?

Getting my Gold Seal Certification in project management. It helped solidify what I’ve been working at for years.

What has been your greatest success throughout your career?

It’s hard to pinpoint my greatest success throughout my career so far; however, I’ve had some amazing experiences along the way — working on many local, major projects that help shape the growth and landscape of our city, such as the Nova Centre and Queen’s Marque.

Additionally, being on the CANS Board of Directors.  I feel proud to be part of a wise group of incredibly respected, knowledgeable professionals who have a collective interest in helping to shape our local industry.

What do you hope to achieve in the next 5 years? 

I have many personal and professional goals I have set for myself.  Mainly, I am focused on continuing to grow through personal and professional development.  The most important thing that I’ve realized in the past couple of years through various life circumstances is that life is short. Make goals. Break them down so you can actually achieve them little by little. When you accomplish one goal, it feels amazing and builds momentum and inspires me to achieve more.

What excites you about the future of construction? 

I am excited about so much- namely the advancement in technology, methods of construction, and the big push on promotion of the industry to our younger generation. There are so many areas to work in this industry from the trades, labourers, project management, estimating, sales, insurance, law, and accounting for example. This industry is huge and there is so much opportunity for everyone who wants to come along for the ride.

What does being Black and working in this industry mean to you?

That’s a hard question to answer.  I have always been well respected in my workplace and in the industry as a whole, so I guess I have never really considered this.  I am definitely pleased to see that there are more persons of colour in the industry these days, and I hope that all minorities continue to be well represented in this industry.

Are there any other Black individuals or businesses in the industry that we should be acknowledging & celebrating? 

The person who comes to mind immediately is Larry Gibson. I grew up with Larry’s kids and I always admired him as a businessman. He was the only Black man I saw become really successful in the industry for quite some time. I recall reading an article years ago and he was the only person of colour in the photo of over a dozen other leaders in the industry. His story inspired me to get out there, learn the industry, work hard, and be successful. Also, I’ve been impressed by Glenn Carvery’s growth and accomplishments with his businesses.