Living Sky School Division is planning to take purposeful steps toward more emphasis on trades training in high school.
Randy Fox, director of education, told board members last week the Ministry of Education has indicated a willingness to look at the credit requirements for graduation. That could be a breakthrough in opening up more possibilities for credits in trades, he said.
Board chair Ken Arsenault added that during the division's recent pre-budget presentation to the Treasury Board, there was discussion that suggested the government is looking at emphasis on apprenticeship type programs in high school.
Fox and Arsenault made their comments during a discussion generated by a trades academy report the division had received from SELU, the non-profit Saskatchewan Education Leadership Unit, earlier this year.
Over the next month, superintendents will be working on potential pathways to improving students' access to trades training for board approval.
"We're not starting from zero," said Cathy Herrick, one of the division's three superintendents of curriculum and instruction.
All the division's rural schools have some middle years practical arts courses, St. Vital School has programs in foods, drafting, construction and welding for Grade 7 students and, at North Battleford Comprehensive High School, Grades 8 and 9 have courses in foods, mechanics, welding, clothing, carpentry, electrical and drafting.
Apprenticeship credits are currently available to students in Grades 11 and 12 by working with an administrator and a community-based journeyperson. The incentive is that students can be paid while on the job site and get a head start on their apprenticeship.
Students can also register for a Student Youth Apprenticeship Passport program, in which they receive seals for their passport for completing the levels of the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship Program. There are 44 Grade 11 and 12 students registered at North Battleford Comprehensive High School, plus more in Macklin, Maymont, Medstead, Spiritwood and Unity.
A couple of students in Unity have finished their levels, said Herrick.
"Lots of our kids are interested in the trades, as shown by them being involved in the apprenticeship passport," said Herrick, but the division could do a better job of promoting the apprenticeship program in schools.
Steps the division could take include establishing a readiness program for at-risk students in Grade 10. Herrick said they picture a cohort of students who, with one dedicated academic teacher acting as their advocate, could build a sense of community as they work through a two-semester system preparing them for and placing them in Career and Work Exploration (CWE) positions in the community.
For Grade 11 and 12 students, Herrick said there are several ways the division can promote apprenticeship credit opportunities and connect them with journeypersons in the trades, including partnerships in the community. But, she said, the first step would be to update their list of community journeypersons willing to participate.
Board members expressed their approval of moving forward on the issue, with trustee Garth Link going so far as to advocate building a re-locatable facility for instruction in construction.
"We talk about sending kids to journeymen," said Link. "I'm looking the opposite direction as well, bring journeymen to the students."
He saw such a facility being run year round.
Trustees also talked about maximizing the use of trades training facilities at NBCHS, which are being used only 200 days of the year for a few hours a day.
"If we have to change the school year, let's," said Arsenault.
Vice-chair Ronna said, "I think it's important to start looking at alternative delivery models. Not everyone is going to go to university … we're going down the right road."
Trustee Glen Wouters said they may be costly programs, but many of the students in them are the students who are now taking four or five years to get through high school. The government should be willing to put new money in to save money in the long term.
Fox noted, however, they need to be prepared to accept the extra costs might be up to the board.
Arsenault said, "I honestly think the money will come more from business than from the government. Business will be more interested in the success of this program."
