It’sa WRAP at GREAT, students in the trades...
By Stephanie Dearing
Writer
It’sa W.R.A.P. - the brand new Work Ready Aboriginal People pilot project, that is. Launched September 15 at Grand River Employment and Training (GREAT), the project aims to put the feet of 12 Six Nations young adults on solid career paths in the trades.
Ashley Porter, the only female student in the program said she is interested in becoming an electrician. Saying she learned about the pilot project from a friend through Facebook, Porter was keen to start the program.
“I’m definitely excited,” she said. The pilot already has all the students it can accept, said coordinator Brandi Jonathan. Funded with a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU), the pilot project has the support of a number of industry unions, who are partnering to provide hands-on skills training to the students.
The full-time program will run for 18 weeks, finishing in January 2012. During the course, students will be introduced to at least nine trades, although Jonathan is working on getting another three trades added. Students will spend up to four days getting a handson introduction to each of the trades.
Steam fitting and plumbing, electrical, iron workers, millwrights, sheet metal, carpentry, painting, sandblasting, and welding are the trades on the schedule so far. Jonathan wants to add boiler workers, bricklayers and glaziers. She said the students will be taken to union certified training centers where they will be taught the theory related to the trade and safety training.
The hands-on comes in when students complete a project. To enable the students, all the tools and safety gear will be supplied, and the students will keep the gear after the program, “because they’ll need it to work,” said Jonathan. The program will also look after the transportation and give students a basic allowance to enable them to stay with the program.
Once the hands-on training ends, students will have six weeks of upgrading, where students can either get their Grade 12/GED or, if they have their cGrade 12, take a Grade 12 math course to meet industry requirements for hiring, said Jonathan.
“While the students are training, we will be approaching contactors to take on the students,” Jonathan said. Once students are placed with a job in their chosen field, they are encouraged to pursue an apprenticeship. The agreement with the MTCU for the funding was only finalized on the day the program launched, said Jonathan. She said because of MTCU requirements, they could not promote the program.
Turtle Island News
By Stephanie Dearing
Writer
It’sa W.R.A.P. - the brand new Work Ready Aboriginal People pilot project, that is. Launched September 15 at Grand River Employment and Training (GREAT), the project aims to put the feet of 12 Six Nations young adults on solid career paths in the trades.
Ashley Porter, the only female student in the program said she is interested in becoming an electrician. Saying she learned about the pilot project from a friend through Facebook, Porter was keen to start the program.
“I’m definitely excited,” she said. The pilot already has all the students it can accept, said coordinator Brandi Jonathan. Funded with a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU), the pilot project has the support of a number of industry unions, who are partnering to provide hands-on skills training to the students.
The full-time program will run for 18 weeks, finishing in January 2012. During the course, students will be introduced to at least nine trades, although Jonathan is working on getting another three trades added. Students will spend up to four days getting a handson introduction to each of the trades.
Steam fitting and plumbing, electrical, iron workers, millwrights, sheet metal, carpentry, painting, sandblasting, and welding are the trades on the schedule so far. Jonathan wants to add boiler workers, bricklayers and glaziers. She said the students will be taken to union certified training centers where they will be taught the theory related to the trade and safety training.
The hands-on comes in when students complete a project. To enable the students, all the tools and safety gear will be supplied, and the students will keep the gear after the program, “because they’ll need it to work,” said Jonathan. The program will also look after the transportation and give students a basic allowance to enable them to stay with the program.
Once the hands-on training ends, students will have six weeks of upgrading, where students can either get their Grade 12/GED or, if they have their cGrade 12, take a Grade 12 math course to meet industry requirements for hiring, said Jonathan.
“While the students are training, we will be approaching contactors to take on the students,” Jonathan said. Once students are placed with a job in their chosen field, they are encouraged to pursue an apprenticeship. The agreement with the MTCU for the funding was only finalized on the day the program launched, said Jonathan. She said because of MTCU requirements, they could not promote the program.
Turtle Island News
