Fifteen additional trades and apprenticeship students have been named recipients of the Weston Family Scholarship in the Skilled Trades for the 2020-2021 academic year. The new recipients began their studies in the winter term.
Fifteen additional trades and apprenticeship students have been named recipients of the Weston Family Scholarship in the Skilled Trades for the 2020-2021 academic year. The new recipients began their studies in the winter term. L-R: Christian Simpson-Kehrer, Bethany Davis, Tyler Dam, James Ryan, Lucas Parente, David Homer.
The scholarship was established by the Weston Family Foundation to help increase multi-trade recruitment and address skills shortages. It is open to students in their first term of a diploma or certificate trades program and apprentices entering Level 1 in-class training. Recipients receive up to $4,000 -- $1,000 per academic term or per level of in-class training -- as well as tuition awards from the college to support the completion of their studies.
In addition to financial support, Weston Family Scholars participate in various events and co-curricular activities through the college’s School of Trades & Apprenticeship to promote skilled trades careers. As student ambassadors, scholars engage with the community through talks and mentorship initiatives that highlight pathways to skilled trades careers, partnering with local elementary and secondary schools, as well as Skills Ontario, Business & Education Partnership of Waterloo Region, and the Waterloo Region and southwestern Ontario branches of Junior Achievement.
Since the launch of the scholarship program in 2018, Conestoga’s Weston Family Scholars have grown to include more than 130 students, apprentices and alumni across a range of construction, industrial and motive power sector programs.
Congratulations to the 2020-2021 winter Weston Family Scholars:
Apprentices:
- Tyler Dam -- Brick and Stone Mason
- Bethany Davis -- Electrician - Construction and Maintenance
- Jesse Elias -- Truck and Coach Technician
- Michael Ferguson -- General Carpenter
- Zackary Holmes -- General Carpenter
- David Homer -- Automotive Service Technician
- Mitch Kernick -- General Carpenter
- Daniel McRoberts -- General Carpenter
- Matthew Price -- Plumber
- James Ryan -- Brick and Stone Mason
- Jessica Seebach -- Cabinetmaker
- Christian Simpson-Kehrer -- Electrician - Construction and Maintenance
- Jacob Turner - Electrician - Construction and Maintenance
Trades students:
- Richard Maghsoudi -- Electrical Techniques
- Lucas Parente -- Electrical Techniques
First-year students and Level 1 apprentices beginning their studies in fall 2021 interested in applying are encouraged to contact Michelle Ruston, liaison officer, for more information.
For more than 60 years, the Weston Family Foundation (formerly The W. Garfield Weston Foundation) has worked collaboratively alongside forward-thinking partners to advance Canada and create lasting impacts. The Foundation aspires to do more than provide funding, as they enable others to find transformational ways to improve the well-being of Canadians.
Conestoga is a provincial leader in the delivery of trades and apprenticeship training to serve industry needs and the growing community. Comprehensive programming includes a wide range of post-secondary trades programs that provide pathways to employment in skilled trades careers as well as pre-apprenticeship training and in-school training for apprentices.
For more information, visit the School of Trades and Apprenticeship.