Apprenticeship Preparation for Fall 2011
1. Visits to Madill
– each year a representative of the Apprenticeship Training Board visits our school
– visits are posted on the "Post Secondary Visits" list in all home rooms and the guidance office; sign up in the white book in the guidance office to attend this seminar
2. Information about Apprenticeships
– there are pamphlets and booklets in the guidance office (for overnight loan or to read in the office)
– the most up-to-date and comprehensive information is available online
– at the end of this seminar you will receive a list of websites, many of which contain information about apprenticeships
– each student who is planning to apply for an apprenticeship will have an interview with a guidance counsellor this fall, come prepared with your questions
3. Coop and OYAP
– if you are currently taking coop or will be taking coop in semester 2, ask your teacher about the possibility of OYAP, if you are cooping in an apprenticeable trade
– OYAP (Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program) is a way to get high school credits and hours toward your apprenticeship at the same time
4. Preparation for an Apprenticeship
– if you plan to apprentice for a trade, you will need to find an employer who is a fully qualified tradesman(journeyman) who is willing to hire you as an apprentice
– for most apprenticeship positions, you must complete your OSSD which includes 30 credits, 40 hours of Community Involvement and successful completion of the Literacy Requirement; it is important that you complete the 40 hours and hand the sheet in to the guidance office early in your final year at Madill so that you will be eligible for an OSSD in June 2011
– in addition to completing diploma requirements, you will need to update your resume and develop a cover letter for your employer search
5. Applying for an Apprenticeship
– searching for an apprenticeship requires hard work and determination
– "word of mouth" is a good way to hear about a possible job, networking from a part- time job or a coop job is also useful, check the "classified" section of the newspaper in the town/city where you would like to find a job, go to the local employment office (Wingham Centre for Employment and Learning is located at 152 Josephine Street, 519-357-4995, www.herc.on.ca)
6. You’ve Found an Employer!
– once you have found an employer, you will need to register with the nearest apprenticeship board
– closest one to Wingham is Waterloo at 519-571-6009
– more information can be found at the Training Hotline 1-888-JOBGROW
7. Apprenticeship and College
– most apprentices go to college for part of their education
– you do not need to apply to college for this training; your training consultant that you have registered with will arrange for you to go to the nearest college for the in-school portion of your training
8. What do I do if I can’t find an employer?
– some people decide to look for work as a laborer in the field or with the employer they are interested in with the hope that this will make them more desirable as an apprentice in a year or so; some employers hire apprentices only from current employees not new hires
– some people decide to go to college and take a 1, 2 or 3 year college certificate/diploma program in their field of interest to become more desirable as an apprentice (this requires application to college); Conestoga College and Fanshawe College offer a 1 year pre-technology course and some college (Conestoga and Fanshawe are two) also offer multi-year coop diploma apprenticeship programs
– if you cannot find an employer, ask prospective employers, the training board consultant and the HERC counsellors, what would improve your chances of being hired as an apprentice
9. Financial Assistance
– apprentices "earn while they learn"; that is one of the key elements of an apprenticeship
– some loans are available for the purchase of tools needed for the trade; check with your training consultant
10. Preparing to Leave Secondary School
– fill in the purple Commencement Awards form and hand in to the guidance office before leaving for the summer (not all awards are for university and college bound students and not all are based on marks)
– rent your gown for commencement in late May or June ($15); if you wait to rent your gown in August or as late as the evening of commencement the cost will be $20 and there is no guarantee of size or availability
