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Trades & Technical Professions Youth program helps trades students get a head start Upon graduating from high school, the next step for many of these students will be to become an apprentice, which means they’ll spend approximately 85 per cent of the time working and learning on the job from a certified journeyperson and the remaining time learning theoretical and technical skills in a school setting. Students who participate in the SYA program get a head start on this process. Their apprentice registration fee ($200 as of January 1) is waived, they aren’t charged for Level 1 technical training (at institutions such as Sask Polytech) and they also receive 300 hours of trade time credit. In addition, there are SYA Industry Scholarships awarded to selected eligible high school graduates throughout the province who have completed the SYA Program and will be pursuing a career in the skilled trades. The scholarships are valued at $1,000 each. With these advantages, not to mention the funding students can receive through other federal and provincial scholarships, Blankestijn said young apprentices are given all the tools to succeed. “When you’re an apprentice, you get paid to go to
by Pat R e d i g e R
In many trade projects, the key to success is having a solid foundation. The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) has adopted this philosophy when it comes to developing the next generation of skilled trades workers. Through the SATCC’s Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) program, students have the opportunity to learn more about the over-40 designated skilled trades in the province and take part in hands-on learning to get an idea of what career they may want to pursue upon graduating. “It’s a fantastic program because it provides students with so many options,” said Paul Blankestijn, SATCC youth apprenticeship manager. “I graduated in 1985 and I don’t ever recall going to a career fair or having a guidance counsellor. You had to figure out what you wanted to do by yourself. “ He said that students can develop a career path by participating in the program and reviewing its various options. “The effort they spend in high school investing in this program is going to benefit them
Through the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) program, high school students can get a valuable head start on a career in a skilled trade. S ATCC
after high school when they’re starting on their careers.” The ideal time for students to begin the program is Grade 10, although it’s also offered to Grade 11 and 12 students. If a student is interested in taking part, he or she needs to get in touch with the SYA champion at their school, usually the guidance counsellor, shop teacher or principal. After submitting the registration form, the student will be entered in the database and receive a SYA passport.
The student will then receive 12 challenges to complete. One of the challenges is to research the different trades in the province to get a broad overview. Another challenge involves the student interviewing a journeyperson to learn about the job and what the daily challenges and successes are. “Interviewing a journeyperson is a cool one, because the journeyperson the student interviews could be a potential employer,”
Blankestijn said. “The student may really impress the person they interview and be asked to come and see them about an apprenticeship after graduating from high school.” He added that the 12 challenges help young people establish and make a plan. It encourages self-reflection on what they are going to do after high school, what specific trades are they interested in and what connections they have made with potential employers.
school,” he said. Blankestijn, who’s in his tenth year with the program, said the interest has increased greatly over the years. He said there’s still a heavy emphasis placed on promoting the program by giving presentations and information to schools, students and their parents. When he makes presentations, Blankestijn points out that this is a great time for students to be entering the industry. According to Buildforce Canada reports, with many of the province’s baby boomers retiring, the province will need 9,000 new tradespeople within the next ten years just to replace to replace the retirees – and more if a resource boom happens. While he also points out the financial benefits of pursuing a career in the trades, he stresses that it’s not just about the money. “If you enjoy what you’re doing and become good at what you’re doing throughout the process, you’re going to be successful,” Blankestijn said. “We’ve seen very clearly through our statistics that there are many young people that have gone through this program and are now certified journeypeople.”
Females encouraged to explore careers in the trades by J o nat h a n hamelin
The demand for female workers in the skilled trades and technology sectors continues to grow, and one Saskatchewan program is working to ensure these women have the tools to rise to the opportunity. T hrough the Women in Trades & Technologies (WITT) program, female students and young adults get the opportunity to take part in an interactive day of learning that can help set them on a new career path. The program is administered by Skills Canada Saskatchewan, an organization which exists to promote and engage Saskatchewan youth in skilled trades and technologies. “There are a lot of young women in this province who aren’t sure what they’d like to do for a career and don’t really consider the possibility of trades or technologies. This program gives them exposure and an opportunity to gain firsthand experience,” said Al Gabert, executive director of Skills Canada Saskatchewan. “There’s always a demand for female tradespeople in the province. It’s important for females to realize the role they can play in society and in the workforce.” Since WITT started six years ago, Skills Canada Saskatchewan has been partnering with schools, community groups and Indigenous reserves to put on workshops throughout the province aimed toward high school students in Grade 9-12 and young adults ages 18-25. The sessions are primarily facilitated by women who are already involved in the industries as apprentices or journeypeople. At the beginning of each session, the role models are introduced and talk to the participants about their career path. Following that, the role models each run a Try-a-Trade Station that girls rotate through to get a hands-on learning experience. For example, students may get to try their hands at sheet metal work, plumbing, steamfitting, pipefitting, electrical instal-
lations, carpentry or instrumentation. Safety is a primary focus at each station and students are all supplied with personal protective equipment. “What we’re trying to do is expose them to a number of different trades: non-traditional ones, ones that females don’t always go into, or ones that are new to that geographical area,” Gabert said. “They get to learn about different equipment and practice some skills used on the job site.” Gabert noted that participants view the session leaders not just as instructors, but role models. “The big thing is they get to see a female in the workforce who’s trained to be a welder, pipefitter, refrigeration specialist or technologist in a mine,” he said. “They get the chance to talk to them and say, ‘How do you get into this? Do you like it?
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How long did it take you to train?’ They relate more to them than they might by talking to you or I.” WITT sessions also consist of a presentation from the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission about the apprentice system in the province. If females are interested in taking the next step following the workshop, they can be connected with educational institutes to learn how to further their education, or local organizations to discuss funding options for the education the y choose to pursue. Each year, the WITT program reaches around 300350 females. Gabert said this large uptake has led to more women becoming involved in the industry. He estimates over 10 per cent of the skilled trades and technologies workforce in the province is
made up of women. “We’re definitely seeing a higher number of women starting to get involved in the trades,” he said. “We see more women becoming apprentices and enrolling in institutions like Sask Polytech in some of these skilled trade areas. Females bring a great artistic view to the industry. When you look at trades like car painting, for example, they have a different view than men do so you get a different product. Women can pick up very well on the different skills that are required to do these jobs.” If you’re interested in bringing a WITT workshop to your community, contact program manager Rick Clark at (306) 260-7589 or email: rickc@skillscanada. com. Call Gabert at (306) 480-9304 or email: alg@ skillscanada.com. For more information, visit www.skillscanadasask.com.
Students learn more about plumbing at a WITT session in Saskatoon. The event involved 137 Grade 9 students from Bedford Road Collegiate, Mount Royal Collegiate and E.D. Feehan Catholic High School. SkillS CA nAdA SASkaT ChewAn
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