Career Options
Ontario@WorkOne college is bursting at the seams and is boasting record enrolment growth in several skilled trades programs. Another college filled all available spots in its skilled trades programs in record time. Still another is constructing a new facility to meet demand for skills training. LINDA WHITE |
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 [ 2005-09-28 ] |
The message about rewarding career opportunities in the trades and the shortage of skilled tradespeople is getting out there, educators say. "Parents still want their children to become doctors and lawyers, though they are starting to recognize the career opportunities in the trades," says John Woodward, Dean of the Durham College Whitby Skills Training Centre.
"These careers were originally called 'blue collar'. We started calling them 'gold collar' and I think the message is getting out." The centre was the first to offer what is now known as the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). "It was such a success that the Ontario government chose to expand it across the province," Woodward says.
Enrolment at the centre has been on the rise. It is now serving more than 1,800 full-time students and more than 6,000 part-time students. It has posted record enrolment growth in its advanced care paramedic program, which jumped 85% over last year, and in its heating, ventilation and air conditioning program, which grew by 40%.
Demand for the centre's electrician program is also high. "Demand is going through the roof because of all the construction going on," Woodward says.
While that's good news, the centre is bursting at the seams and is simply unable to meet demand.
"We need to now evaluate programs and maybe weed out some that are not as popular and that's a shame," Woodward says. "We're the last college in Ontario delivering precision metal fabrication. That's all due to space restrictions."
Durham College hopes to alleviate that strain with government funding that would allow it to move ahead with a two-storey expansion. It recently introduced the province's first and only elevating device mechanics program.
At Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology in Toronto, skilled trades programs filled up quicker than ever before. "Because people can apply to five different programs, that tells us we were their No. 1 choice," says Ken Ellis, program co-ordinator at the college's Centre of Advanced Technologies.
"The message (about careers in the trades) is becoming clear. More high school students are taking articulation programs we have with York District Catholic School Board. The goal is to expose them to the trades," Ellis says. "When given the exposure, some find the trades are an interesting career choice. High schools shortchange our students when they don't give them that exposure."
Humber College in Toronto has also noticed an increased interest in the trades by high school students. "There is a huge interest in skilled trades and apprenticeships that we just didn't see a few years ago," says apprenticeship liaison Kristyna MacDonald. "We get a lot of requests for information from both high schools and people wanting a career change."
Its construction programs -- particularly plumbing and electrical -- are most in demand. Humber is now constructing a new horticulture centre that will allow it to better meet the demand for skills training.
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