Education/training
OYAP perfect fit for hands-on studentWhen high school student Andy Warwick walked into his co-operative education class with an incredible desire to work with his hands, his teacher knew he would benefit from a program that allowed him to begin an apprenticeship while earning his diploma. |
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 [ 2007-10-17 ] |
Working with OYAP, Andy Warwick arranged a co-op placement at Supremex Inc. and began his apprenticeship as an industrial maintenance mechanic when he was still in high school.
"Andy told me he wasn't so keen on the structure of the classroom. He told me about how he created things in his basement workshop with his spare time and how he would make things by welding," says Suzanne Primeau of Meadowvale Secondary School in Mississauga.
"As a co-op teacher I automatically screamed 'OYAP' (Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program). Andy didn't know what that was, but what he did know was that he wanted it."
Warwick arranged a co-op placement at Supremex Inc., an envelope manufacturing company in Mississauga, and began his apprenticeship as an industrial maintenance mechanic.
His tasks included repairing machines that broke down, and he worked alongside millwrights who taught him how to take time and plan out his work -- a skill he desperately needed to hone.
"In this classroom, you were not allowed to (begin a project without proper planning) or you might ruin a repair," Primeau says. "This is what Andy loved doing, so he made that change in himself, for himself ... It was through this program that he truly stretched his potential."
Warwick knew within just a few days on the job that he had made the right decision. "I always loved working with tools," says the 18-year-old. "My father worked on oil tankers as an engineer, and as a kid I loved taking bikes apart and putting them back together again."
He is now taking the industrial maintenance mechanic certificate program at Conestoga College in Guelph. He is learning the basic skills of a millwright, learning how to install, maintain, repair and troubleshoot industrial and plant equipment.
"There's always something new to work on," Warwick says of his chosen trade. "Once you've fixed something or made something new, and stand back and look at it, you feel really proud. At college, we're making some of the tools we'll use on the job. It's nice to look at something you've made, knowing it will help you perform your job."
Along with learning the theoretical and practical knowledge of the trade, he is taking math and trade science, welding, electricity, blueprint reading and computer skills. He will complete the full-time program in August, at which point he will continue with his four-year apprenticeship with 400 hours already under his belt.
For Primeau, it's rewarding to see students like Warwick thrive. "You can't do this particular kind of learning in the regular classroom. OYAP gives students who want to pursue a skilled trade an amazing opportunity to use their desire, initiative and drive to make what they want happen in a possible future career."
At the same time, the program prepares them for in-demand careers. "The average skilled journeyperson in Ontario is approximately 49 to 50," Primeau says. "That means in less than 10 years we will be experiencing a shortage of these valuable tradespeople. It takes time and experience to become good at your craft."
ONTARIO YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program is a school-work transition program that offers students who have completed Grade 10, a chance to become registered apprentices while finishing high school.
Eligible students interested in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program should contact their guidance counsellor, technical director or local apprenticeship office for more information. There are more then 135 apprenticeship trades in Ontario.
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