Starting February 5, Conestoga College will offer a new Truck and Coach Pre-Apprenticeship program at its Guelph campus. The new program reflects the growing interest in and government commitment to establishing apprenticeship as a valuable post-secondary education option, as well as expanding the programming capabilities of Conestoga’s new Truck and Coach Technician Centre, which opened at the campus this fall.
This pre-apprenticeship program is funded by the Government of Ontario and will be tuition-free to successful applicants who are admitted.
The full-time program, which has an enrolment capacity of 24, will consist of 23 weeks of in-college instruction followed by eight weeks of on-the-job experience. Participants will gain skills in communications, computer literacy, safety procedures, welding, basic electricity and motive power systems, such as brakes, fluid power, electrical, fuel, engines and drive trains.
Graduates of this program can go on to a truck and coach apprenticeship or to further training. Conestoga began a Truck and Coach Technician apprenticeship program this year at the Guelph campus.
"This new, pre-apprenticeship program is important in this region,” says Brenda Gilmore, who is employer liaison and marketing officer with Conestoga’s School of Trades and Apprenticeship. “The fact that we have expanded our truck and coach facilities at Guelph will be an asset to the program and its students. Both large and small organizations indicate commitment to the program. Many companies are facing a critical shortage of truck and coach technicians, and they indicate that a pre-apprenticeship program would be an ideal avenue to fast-track promising candidates through the initial stages of apprenticeship, thereby helping to address their future hiring needs."
To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be at least 16 years of age, have a Grade 12 high school diploma or equivalent, reside in Ontario and be able to work in the province. Candidates who meet all other conditions and criteria for admission, but who may not have completed their secondary school diploma, may be accepted and receive academic upgrading as part of their program studies.
Conestoga will hold a number of free information sessions to provide details about the program, admissions procedures and career opportunities in the truck and coach field. Sessions are from 6-7 p.m. and take place on Thursday, December 14, Tuesday, January 9 and Tuesday, January 16 at the Guelph campus, and on Tuesday, December 19 at the Waterloo campus. For information, telephone 519-824-9390, ext. 122 or 519-748-5220, ext. 3656.
CONTACT: Brenda Gilmore, 519-824-9390, ext. 122, bgilmore@conestogac.on.ca