This Carlington Instructor Is Teaching Young Men to Drywall — and to Believe in Themselves
In a workshop in Ottawa's Carlington neighbourhood, young men are learning how to tape, mud, and finish drywall — a skilled trade that's in high demand and can lead to a well-paying career. But the instructor at the centre of the Master Tapers academy, Marshall Celestin, is clear that the drywall is almost beside the point.
The Work Behind the Work
Celestin's program takes young men who are at a crossroads — some who've struggled in school, some who've had brushes with the justice system, some who simply haven't found their footing yet — and gives them something concrete to master. There's deep psychology in that. When you learn to do something with your hands, something that leaves a visible, tangible result, it changes how you see yourself.
Drywall finishing is a legitimate trade. A skilled taper in Ottawa can earn a strong living, especially in a city where residential and commercial construction is booming. But more than the economics, Celestin talks about what it means for a young man to show up, learn something hard, and finish something well.
Why Trades Matter in Ottawa
Ottawa has historically been a government town, and the messaging to young people has often defaulted to university as the only path. But the trades are hiring, and increasingly the trades are where some of the best earning potential in the city lives. Programs like Master Tapers are part of a broader push to connect Ottawa youth — particularly young men from underserved neighbourhoods — to career pathways that are stable, well-compensated, and genuinely satisfying.
Carlington's Hidden Asset
Carlington doesn't always make the news for the right reasons, but the Master Tapers academy is a reminder that there's real community investment happening in the neighbourhood. Marshall Celestin and programs like his are a resource worth knowing about and supporting.
Source: CBC Ottawa
