PILOT PROJECT FOCUSES ON APPRENTICESHIPS
Mohawk to provide extra support for apprentices and those who hire them
A pilot project aims to make Mohawk College a one-stop province-wide resource and advocacy centre for apprentices.
Mohawk trains between 2,700 and 3,000 apprentices in 17 trades each year, making it one of the largest training delivery agents in the province.
“We set a goal with this project three-and-a-half years ago to provide support to apprentices from start to finish, to help them secure registration and to complete their required levels of training,“ said Wayne Ostermaier, Dean of the Marshall School of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship.
The Province of Ontario recently implemented a new strategy to strengthen the apprenticeship system. Mohawk has taken a leadership role to help apprentices navigate the apprenticeship system successfully through the addition of team member Louise Stallings, Apprenticeship Engagement Specialist.
“We as a college felt it was important to provide extra support to apprentices, similar to what we offer to our full-time students,“ said Ostermaier.
“Our vision is to be a community hub that supports the apprenticeship system and to make services more accessible and timely. The idea is to function as a heart for services.“
That approach is the first of its kind. The hub system will also support employers, many of them small or medium-sized operations without dedicated resources for apprentices.
Apprentices must complete a required number of On-the-Job Training Hours along with School Training Hours to successfully complete their apprenticeship.
During the eight-week in-class training at Mohawk, Stallings visits classrooms to answer questions, helps apprentices to access resources, and offers one-onone guidance.
“We want to strengthen, connect and empower apprentices,“ said Stallings.
“It‘s important to remember that an apprenticeship can be a building block to other career paths like opening a business or trades management.“ The college is also focused on raising awareness about apprenticeships among youth, women and Indigenous communities.
Page 6- Fall 2018 Momentum
https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine---fall-2018/