Education/training
Opportunity lies in the tradesLike many young people today, Sandy MacDonald wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life when he graduated from high school. DOROTHEA HELMS |
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 [ 2002-04-10 ] |
Sandy MacDonald, director, Schools of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship at Durham College.
After working in a bank and the circulation department of a newspaper, he landed a job at Cliff Mills Motors in Oshawa, which led to an apprenticeship in automotive mechanics.
That step was the first in MacDonald's upward career journey, which led to his current position as director of the Schools of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship at Durham College's Skills Training Centre Whitby Campus.
His enormous responsibilities include looking after the day-to-day operation of the facility, its administrative organization, new program proposals, addressing student success issues, plus interacting with industrial groups and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. In addition, he is overseeing the acquisition of the Service Industry ISO 9001:2000 rating for the Schools of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship.
"Serving an apprenticeship and acquiring a skilled trade opens the doors of opportunity," MacDonald says. "Anyone in the skilled trades can get a higher education. Nobody should stop learning."
MacDonald earned a bachelor's degree in adult education from Brock University, and he's just two credits away from achieving his masters of arts degree in education from Central Michigan University.
MacDonald's path into the industry was paved by a father and brother who are mechanics. After completing his apprenticeship at Cliff Mills Motors, Sandy moved into the transportation industry to gain experience in the repair of trucks. He is a certified automotive service technician and truck and coach technician.
From the trucking industry, MacDonald progressed to teaching part time at another college for several years. Then in 1983, he was offered the opportunity to start up the automotive programs at Durham College. "Never turn down an opportunity, and put everything you've got into each one," is his advice.
That's exactly what he did when he co-ordinated the Youth Internship Apprenticeship Program as a pilot project with Durham College, four high school boards, Human Resources Development Canada and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
"We integrated apprenticeship training while students were still in secondary school," he explains.
The program included training in three areas: Precision Metal Trades (tool & die, mouldmaker and general machinist); Automotive Service Technician, and Network Cabling Specialist. This successful initiative, which won a program excellence award from the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, was the forerunner to today's Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.
Durham's Schools of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship now offers training in 17 different trades at the Whitby Campus, including several post-secondary one- and two-year programs that allow people to procure apprenticeships. "We stress professionalism in all our programs here," MacDonald says. "A skilled trade can be the launching point for a variety of careers. Regardless of what happens in life, you'll always have that trade to rely on for a lucrative living."
MacDonald's extensive knowledge/experience base serves him well in his present capacity as director. "We offer a down-to-earth education here," he says. "Our professors have industry experience, so they relate well with the students."
MacDonald encourages young people to consider a career in the trades. Today, a skilled trade offers a young person a challenging career. Advancement in technology promotes logical problem solving skills. An apprentice needs to be a self-starter.
"A skilled trade is a solid beginning for where you want to go," he says. "The road to success is not always easy, but never give up. Consider each day a new start."
(Dorothea Helms is an internationally published writer who can be reached at writer@wsws.ca)
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