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While the trades continue to struggle to fill positions, a new course being offered at a Stratford high school for the first time could be part of the solution.
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Starting in April, St. Michael Catholic secondary school will welcome students into an Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program Level 1 electrical course — something typically available at schools in larger cities.
“We’re really trying to give our kids a well-rounded, technical experience, and we’re trying to serve both schools in the Catholic school system,” said Mark Flanagan, a tech teacher at St. Mike’s who also runs the OYAP program.
The Catholic school board initiative is in collaboration with Fanshawe College, with students who complete the eight-week Level 1 program getting a college credit if they attend the post-secondary school in London.
Tom Smith, a licensed electrician and instructor at Conestoga College, also teaches an introductory electrical curriculum at St. Mike’s that could lead to students taking the Level 1 course. Conestoga also has similar partnerships with St. Mike’s.
“One of my goals is to motivate them that if you’re not going to university, this could be a pathway because we just don’t have enough tradespeople,” he said. “The futures for jobs in trades is tremendous.”
Opportunities extend beyond becoming an electrician, Smith said. Those who get into the electrical trades could become a teacher, fire inspector or run their own business — and get compensated well.
“There’s lots of opportunities. It’s just a step,” he said. “I’m not sure in North America we respect the trades like they do in Europe, which is unfortunate because it is a great pathway and great way to earn a living. It represents lots of different paths once you’re licensed. When you like what you do, you don’t go to work.”
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Brock Manzo, a Grade 12 student at St. Mike’s, plans to take the Level 1 course next semester. His goal is complete his apprenticeship, become a licensed electrician and “see where that takes me.”
“It’s awesome because you’re one step ahead of everyone else,” he said. “I already have practical experience, so it will help me with schooling.”
The average age of an apprentice is 27, Flanagan said, which makes the high school program beneficial in that it fast-tracks the process — at no cost to the student.
“This is for students who are ready, prepared, and they’ve taken various tech courses and they’ve got a good plan on what pathway they want to attend,” he said. “This is the first group going through, and we hope to build on the success of this where younger students in Grade 9,10 and our feeder schools are going to see the success from this program.
“It’s not a job, it’s a hobby.”
Level 1 apprenticeship program fast-tracks local students to trades - The Beacon Herald
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