The trades

As you begin to consider your career goals and evaluate postsecondary education, your questions and choices may appear confusing. Should you go directly into the work force? Should you enrol in college or university? How will you afford the tuition and living costs?

Your guidance office often has up-to-date information on the many colleges and universities. But what if you can’t make a multi-year commitment to school due to its expense, your lack of high grades or if you’re uncertain of your career choice?

Then consider attending one of the more than 400 private career colleges (PCCs) in Ontario.

Here are the 10 reasons why you should consider attending a PCC.

You can graduate and start in the work force in 12 months or fewer, not two to four years. If you enrol in a college or university, it can take years to graduate. At PCCs, you can graduate with a diploma and be in the work force in one year or less. That means you can use your earning power to pay back debts quickly and begin your career. At a PCC, this is accomplished because you only take courses relevant to your specialty. There are no elective subjects as required in other school systems.

You will have a shorter learning day. A PCC typically offers classes for four to five hours per day in the morning, afternoon or evening. This enables you to work part time during your program and still leave time for homework and a social life.

Your teachers are experienced in the industry, and class sizes are small. PCC instructors are audited by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities to ensure that they have real-world experience. Most PCC instructors demonstrate their expertise on a daily basis in the classroom. Typical class sizes range from five to 30 students, which gives instructors the chance to give students personal attention.

Curriculum tends to be more current. The curriculum at a PCC is market-driven due to the number of PCCs competing for students. It tends to be updated regularly (especially in information technology programs). Programs that don’t result in jobs disappear quickly.

Certification from industry associations means credibility for graduates. PCCs often include industry certifications in their programs. This recognition by provincial, Canadian or worldwide standards bodies gives employers confidence that graduates have the skills identified by these standards bodies to be successful in the work force. Often, graduates with certifications get priority in interviews and hiring.

There is a PCC near you. With more than 400 PCCs in Ontario, there are often multiple choices in the city closest to your home. This enables you to live at home so you incur less debt. It also means that you don’t have to leave your friends and part-time jobs to go to school if you don’t want to.

Registration with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities means security and financing. PCCs registered with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities are subject to annual audits to ensure that the schools meet requirements laid out by the ministry. Schools are measured annually on their graduate and employment rates. These results are published so potential students can review their success rates. Students going to many PCCs are able to apply for OSAP loans to assist in the funding of their tuition and living expenses.

There is a focus on job placement. Most PCCs have dedicated career services consultants to help you find a job. Career services consultants reach out into industry to promote graduates to employers and promote employers to students.

You’ll find career management support. PCCs are required to deliver career management curriculum and support to students during the program. Résumé writing, interviewing skills and job search guidance are common components of the curriculum.

There are financing solutions available. Each PCC is required to have a financial aid officer (FAO) on site. The role of the FAO is to assist students in assessing their financial situations and determining the best solution for each student to finance his or her education. The FAO helps students throughout the school year as circumstances occur that impact their finances. The FAO also provides guidance to students at the completion of their programs to help them manage any student loan debts.


Trades to consider
Looking to get into a career where hands-on training is your best bet? Here are some careers you can pursue at a career or technical college or as an apprentice.

Electrical maintenance

Job possibilities include outside lineman, who installs the lines that move power from power plant to building (think power lines), or an electrician, who does inside wiring for homes and businesses. All signs point to people continuing to need energy, so your job prospects are good.

Construction
There are many careers that encompass the construction field, such as plumber, cabinetmaker, bricklayer, carpenter, welder and drywaller. 

Automotive technology
Love cars? Consider getting a certificate or apprenticeship in automotive technology. You’ll become qualified to work in a parts manufacturing plant, service stations, or you can  specialize as a brake technician, autobody painter and repairer, motorcycle mechanic and more. In Canada, check out Centennial College’s School of Transportation.

Cosmetology
If you’re interested in starting your own business, hair care and cosmetology could be your ticket. Schools like the Vidal Sassoon Academy teach different cutting techniques, coloring styles and makeup application in short-term classes.

Horticulture
If you like working outdoors, consider landscape or horticulture. Jobs include design, construction, maintenance, retail and production. You could be a business owner, planter at a garden center, work for a town, small business, greenhouse, golf course, park or chain store. For apprenticeship and scholarship information, visit www.LandscapeOntario.ca.

—L.J.H.

Q&A with Carolyn Booth
Carolyn Booth is director of continuing education and workforce development at the School of Applied Technology at the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. Here’s what she has to say about considering a trade.

Q: What type of students do well in the trades?
A: Apprenticeship combines in-school classroom training at a community college with workplace-based training under the direction of experienced workers. Students who do well are typically those who enjoy hands-on practical training and combine good manual dexterity with mechanical aptitude. For the more traditional skilled trades, such as electrician and plumber, students will need the ability to do hard physical work and work at heights. Students who also have good analytical, communication and problem-solving skills will do exceptionally well.

Q: What does an apprenticeship entail? Do you have to attend classes, or do you just learn on the job?

A: To become an apprentice, you must find an employer who is willing to sponsor and train you in your chosen skilled trade. About 90 per cent of apprenticeship training is provided in the workplace by your employer, where you’ll receive hands-on training to standards of skill and safety set by industry. The remainder involves classroom instruction on theory, which is usually given at a local community college or provided by another approved training organization. Construction and maintenance electrician apprentices serve a 9,000-hour apprenticeship with 840 hours allocated toward in-school training. For this trade, the in-school training comprises three levels—basic, intermediate and advanced—which can be completed through a day-release or block-release program.

Upon successful completion of in-school and on-the-job training, the apprentice will write the Ontario Certificate of Qualification (C. of Q.) trade exam. If apprentices obtain 70 per cent or more on this exam, they are eligible to work in other Canadian provinces that participate in the “Red Seal” program.

Q: In what fields do apprentices work?
A: The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities develops new apprenticeships as they are required by business and industry. Though apprenticeships in more than 130 trades are available in Ontario, nearly 90 per cent of apprentices in the province are completing apprenticeship training in 56 trades in four key sectors: construction, auto service, manufacturing and service sectors.

At Humber, we offer apprenticeship training in the following areas: arborist, construction boilermaker, construction and maintenance electrician, industrial electrician, facilities systems maintenance mechanic, horticulture technician, network cabling specialist and plumber.

Q: What are some of the benefits of doing an apprenticeship?
A: Apprentices are paid while completing their workplace training, and their wages increase with their level of skill. The training provides access to well-paying jobs that demand a high level of skills, judgment and creativity. Qualified trades people are in high demand, which means job security is high. Advancement opportunities are always available for the well-trained and ambitious.

Stuart Bentley is president of triOS College Business Technology Healthcare. Contact him at www.trios.com or (800) 898-7467.

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