Discovering the Trades was the focus of an all-day event Wednesday at Williams Lake TRU campus for 80 Lake City Secondary grade 7 students.
The students got to connect with local tradespeople to raise awareness about career opportunities in the trades and also work with apprentice/trainees, trades instructors, and trade specific journeypersons rotating through carpentry, electrical, welding, mechanics, and millwrighting.
School District 27 Career Programs Coordinator Dave Corbett says he strongly believes that the student’s interest in trades was sparked.
“I think I had about 8 or 10 put their hand up when I asked them if they did the program when they were in grade 7, so that’s a great turn around right there,” he says.
“Probably about 25% of the students there are doing it right now so that’s very exciting.”
Wednesday’s Youth Discover the Trades, formerly Yes 2 IT, was sponsored by School District 27, the Industry Training Authority, CIM, Thompson Rivers University, and numerous other local companies and contractors.
Parents were also able to take part in the event with a student/parent night session designed to provide a better understanding of the opportunities that exist in trades and learn about trades training programs.
“Statistics in BC and especially in an area like the Cariboo trades are a high demand item for the future careers of these young people,” Corbett says.
“Grade 7s in five years they’ll be graduating they’ll be right at the center for a large need of tradesmen in our province.”
Upcoming programs for students in the next few months according to Corbett is an RCMP Youth Academy that will involve over 20 grade 11 and 12 students, and also Heavy Metal Rocks that allows students to experience operating heavy equipment.
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