CAREERS: THE NEXT GENERATION
Dan Olesen, Field Director, CAREERS: The Next Generation
CAREERS: The Next Generation is a studentfocused industry, government and community partnership committed to enabling youth on their path to rewarding careers. Since 1997, more than 24,000 students have connected learning to earning through paid internships with the support of CA- REERS and the Registered Apprenticeship Program( RAP).
In my role as a field director for CAREERS in Calgary, I connect high school students and employers to help students develop necessary skills in the trades and industrial technologies. Through our link with the Sheet Metal Contractors Association of Alberta( SMCAA), students are able to explore a career as a sheet metal worker by participating in RAP. Linking high school students with the sheet metal industry, students can earn credits toward high school courses, logging 1,000 hours of on-the-job training while still in school.
CAREERS and SMCAA hosted the first sheet metal showcases in Calgary and Edmonton in 2014. Students and their parents toured a shop and spoke with instructors, journeymen and industry leaders and to learn about the job requirements, explore career opportunities and training. More than 31 students went on to explore sheet metal careers through a RAP internship( an increase from only seven in 2013). The event has grown into an annual event, and we look forward to our third showcase in 2016.
In May 2015, Draven M., a female student from Bishop Grandin High School, was initially interested in welding, and attended the SMCAA showcase to explore options. Changing interests, she started as a RAP sheet metal intern in July 2015. She admits that her first day as a sheet metal worker was hard, but“ I have learned so much about construction and the importance of PPE on the work site,” she says. She is proud of her position and she couldn’ t be happier, working as hard as she can to be an efficient and safe worker. Teachers have commented on the growth of these students both in and out of the classroom, saying the students are emerging with an enthusiasm, confidence and determination they have never seen before. Employers agreed that the events made it easier and more fun to participate – recognizing that they are not just supporting youth career development, but they are also supporting their industry.
To better prepare Alberta for the road ahead, we have to show students a future worth working for. The sheet metal industry is still too unfamiliar to students, parents and teachers. SMCAA and CA- REERS are working together to“ heat things up” to attract, engage and retain the next generation of local talent, and to promote the industry as a viable career choice for new generations. ❖
SMCAA • Sheet Metal Works 9