Governments and employers are giving more attention to the important economic role and the many opportunities apprenticeship education offers to young Ontarians.
Conestoga College for many years has been one of the province’s largest and most forward-looking sites for college-based apprenticeship programs. Starting this winter, the College will offer two pre-apprenticeship programs which will give participants insight and experience with regard to skilled trades careers and a head start on achieving apprenticeship certification.
These tuition-free programs are funded by the Government of Ontario.
One program will be at Conestoga’s Guelph campus, the other at the Waterloo campus.Truck and Coach Technician is the Guelph program. It runs full-time, daytime for 23 weeks at the campus and features an additional eight-week practical work placement experience. Students gain skills in communications, computer literacy, safety procedures, welding, basic electricity and various motive power systems (brakes, fluid power, electrical, fuel, drive trains). Those who successfully complete this program can go on to a truck and coach apprenticeship, or further technical education. In addition, they meet the requirements for completion of Level I of in-college apprenticeship training. Applicants have to be at least 16 years of age, and completion of Grade 12 or equivalent is preferred. Twenty-four enrolment spaces exist in this program.
The Waterloo program is General Carpenter, which features 27 weeks of study at the campus, plus an eight-week practical work placement. As is the case with Truck and Coach Technician, the program includes requirements for Level I apprenticeship training. Participating students gain skills in communications, computer literacy, safety procedures, welding, basic electricity, heating/ventilating/air conditioning, interior finishing and trim, framing, exterior finishes and structures, rigging and building science. Graduates can go on to apprenticeship situations or to other technical education. Enrolment capacity is 24, applicants have to be at least 16 years old and completion of Grade 12 or equivalent is preferred. The General Carpenter pre-apprenticeship is being offered in co-operation with Carpenters Union Local 785.
All prospective applicants need to attend an information session, and Conestoga has scheduled several such free sessions dealing with both pre-apprenticeship programs. Sessions start at 5 p.m. The schedule is October 23, November 13 and November 27 at the Waterloo campus, and October 30, November 6 and December 4 at the Guelph campus.
For more details on these programs, the information sessions and application procedures, call Conestoga at 519-748-5220, ext. 3656.
CONTACT: Brenda Gilmore (Truck and Coach Technician), 519-824-9390, ext. 122, bgilmore@conestogac.on.ca; Tanja Gancevich (General Carpenter), 519-885-0300, ext. 252, tanjag@conestogac.on.ca