Approximately 500 Grade 7 and 8 students from four local school boards will be at Conestoga College campuses in Kitchener and Guelph on Thursday, December 12 to learn about skilled trades careers and the education to get them there.
The event is called Trades and Technology Career Day, and it has become an annual event at Conestoga, designed to highlight the value of technical skills in an ever-changing world. Co-operating to present this third annual learning opportunity are the College, Skills Canada - Ontario, the Waterloo Region District School Board, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, the Upper Grand District School Board and the Wellington Catholic District School Board.
The event begins at 9:30 a.m. and continues until approximately 2 p.m. In all, about 230 students will be at the Doon campus in Kitchener and about 270 at the Guelph campus. At each location, each student receives an overview and orientation to trades career opportunities, then moves on to a hands-on workshop in a particular area, led by a Conestoga College faculty member.
Sessions at Guelph will focus on precision metal machining, computer-aided machining, welding, carpentry, plumbing, industrial maintenance and automotive service technology. The sessions at Doon will look at the machining areas, woodworking technology, electrical and electronics technology, robotics and automation, and architecture/construction technology.
PRIMARY CONTACT: Greg Beselaere, Skills Canada - Ontario, 519-749-9899,
ext. 233
SCHOOL BOARD CONTACTS: Gary Berscht (Waterloo District) 519-570-0300,
ext. 4289; Steve Tangney (Waterloo Catholic), 519-578-3660; Michael Moore
(Upper Grand District and Wellington Catholic), 519-766-9140