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Education/training

OYAP revival of an old tradition

As you flick on the TV and immerse yourself in your favourite courtroom or medical drama, you begin dreaming of an exciting career sure to make you lots of money.

LINDA WHITE

[ 2002-08-28 ]

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OYAP student Stacey Daley, left, with supervisor D. Harripersad, lead hand, at work in her apprenticeship with the Toronto District School Board.

But those dreams aren't based on reality, warns a Toronto teacher, who encourages students to set more realistic goals.

"Students are learning about careers from TV and seeing lawyers in great suits, but they're being sold incorrect information and less than accurate images about what the work world is all about," says Bernadette Shaw, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship (OYAP) co-ordinator for the Toronto District School Board.

And though careers such as auto mechanics, carpenters and electricians aren't glamourized on TV, they're a much more realistic option for many.

They offer an opportunity to earn an enviable salary and even a chance to own your own business.

But because the trades have been given a bad rap for too long, they're often overlooked. Shaw has been promoting them as a viable option for many, following a survey conducted by the board in 1998 to determine plans of graduating students.

Just 30% planned to attend college or university, while 50% planned to work, many at the same jobs they held during high school.

"We asked students if the job they had was a good job for high school and the answer was, 'Yes'. But if you have an apartment or are getting married with that salary, the answer is 'No'," Shaw says.

"As a result of that survey, the board considered laying out some pathways for students," she says. (The remaining 20% of students surveyed were 'at risk' because they had no plans at all.) Introducing students to a trade early on is one of those pathways. "It's really a revival of an old tradition," Shaw says.

OYAP allows students to earn credits toward their high school diploma while the hours they work on a job are applied to journeyperson certification in a skilled trade. Students also have a chance to earn a salary and receive financial assistance towards the purchase of necessary tools and clothing.

"OYAP is one of Ontario's best kept secrets," Shaw says. "For students who like to do things with their hands, skilled trades are perfect."

For students like Stacey Daley, OYAP opened up doors she had never considered.

"My school counsellor knew I didn't know what I wanted to do," says the Downsview Secondary School student, who fell in love with carpentry after learning about the trade on a job shadow.

"I think it's good to promote the trades," says Daley, 19. "If you don't know for sure what you want to do, you can give it a try. There's no downside."

Daley began her apprenticeship with the school board more than a year ago and has been working with crews installing new windows and putting together new playgrounds at Toronto schools.

She takes geometry and other courses at her union hall and is committed to completing certification. "I want to do it," says Daley. "I am going to push myself to reach that goal."

That's welcome news for the trades, according to Jimmy Hazel, president of the Maintenance and Construction Skilled Trades Council, which represents 14 construction unions, including the one Daley works with.

"We have a market that's booming and we're running out of tradespeople," says Hazel, who has arranged many apprenticeships with the board. "The average age of an apprentice in this province is 35. OYAP is giving school kids an opportunity to see what tradespeople do in the real world and get an early start. We're sitting on a gold resource: our own kids."

If you're an employer interested in finding out more about how you can become involved in the apprenticeship program, call Bernadette Shaw at 416-395-8353 or send e-mail to linda.white@rogers.com.)

Education requirements

Students must complete a minimum of three in-school credits per year.

Schools are required to monitor the program offered in the workplace to ensure it meets secondary school credit requirements.

To receive their high school diploma, students must still complete all compulsory credits.

Apprenticeship requirements

Students must be placed with a qualified employer.

Students must follow an on-the-job training program based on the specific standards for the trade. They may also receive related theoretical instruction.