Gone are the days of the trades being viewed as dirty, dead-end jobs, said Graeme Hamilton, career programs teacher consultant with the Richmond School District.
But misconceptions are still out there, which will be addressed at the Skilled Trades Forum open to students, parents and community members tonight at Richmond secondary from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Part of our goal is also to educate parents who traditionally think going into trades would narrow and close options when, in reality, it opens up options, said Hamilton.
The main focus of the forum is to promote the schools Accelerated Credit Enrollment Industry Training (ACE IT) programs. There are four programs based in district high schools culinary, automotive, plumbing and hairdressing open to Grade 11 and 12 students.
There is also a college-based option, offering a range of subjects such as carpentry, welding and painting/decorating, where students enroll in one semester at a partnering institution like Vancouver Community College or Kwantlen Polytechnic University to learn their craft and earn dual high school and post-secondary credits.
Its quite rigorous. You have to get 70 per cent to pass the college courses, said Hamilton.
The four high school programs usually have a cohort of about 16 students, while there are typically two seats per individual college program that tend to be less popular due to a suspected lack of awareness.
Hamilton said now is a crucial time to get the word out to help satisfy a very real need.
If you look at whats happening in industry, were having to ship in skilled labour from the U.S. or Asia. We cant fill demand thats there, he said.
ACE IT can also provide students with the skills and experience required to start a small business, added Hamilton.
The free event will feature guest speakers from postsecondary and industry partners, past grads and current students.
Richmond secondary culinary students will provide refreshments. To RSVP, contact Suzanne Mah at 604-668-6000 ext. 6072 or [email protected]. For more information, visit www.sd38careerprograms.ca.
