Committed to Keeping BC’s Workforce Safe

“At the end of the day, it’s about the end user. It’s about both the students who attend our courses and the employers who need them to have relevant skills,” says Tommy Sangha, owner of Metro Safety Training.

Based on the needs of BC’s occupational sectors, Metro Safety Training is continuously adding new programs to their wide range of first aid, industrial training, occupational health and safety courses. All of the courses are taught by certified instructors.

“It’s a win-win situation. Students know they are going to walk away with employable skills that will help them in their careers in the long term,” says Tommy. “And their employers are slowly recognizing that we teach them the right skills because we care. As a result, we get a lot of return business.”

Some of their corporate clients include Safeway, the City of Burnaby, Ledcor and PCL. “We’re still young, but we’re working with some of the big guys and we’re going to continue to do that,” says Tommy, who founded Metro Safety Training in 2008.

“I wake up every morning and I’m excited about my day after all these years; if I wasn’t I wouldn’t be here.”– Tommy Sangha, owner

Getting Involved For the Love of Teaching

Tommy got his start in the field as an emergency responder at racetracks in 1992, and by 1999 he had begun teaching for established agencies, including St. John’s Ambulance. “My wife tells me all the time, ‘You’re so lucky you love what you do’. I wake up every morning and I’m excited about my day after all these years; if I wasn’t I wouldn’t be here.” says Tommy.

Even though Tommy is in charge of operations, he’s very much a hands-on owner, who continues to do a lot of the teaching at Metro Safety Training. “The cool thing about teaching is every time we start a new class, it’s a new dynamic because the people in there make the difference. There are different personalities and different learning styles, so it’s a new experience every time,” says Tommy.

It was his love for being in the classroom and his commitment to his students that first led Tommy to open his own agency, and a big part of what has shaped Metro Safety Training. “I found I was staying late and coming in early, really going above and beyond,” says Tommy.

“There were a few things that I wanted to see change to improve the courses for the end user. Overall, I was teaching for all the right reasons, I really wanted my students to have the skills so they could respond. They weren’t just another number.”

Giving Back to the Community

As his business was experiencing growth year after year, by 2014, Tommy felt it was time to start giving back to his local community. “I thought, ‘We can now afford to do this’,” says Tommy. Metro Safety Training began donating money, training and equipment to a number of local sports teams and youth programs including North Surrey Minor Football, Cloverdale Baseball, and Game Ready Fitness. “It’s not always easy,” says Tommy, “but it’s definitely worth it.”