"My son Matt became interested in becoming a chef in Grade 10," says Sue McGregor-Hunter. "He asked for cookbooks that Christmas - not your average teenage request! He has since made some wonderful meals for us, including osso bucco on Christmas Eve."

Matt is now the coordinator of the culinary arts club at his high school and plans to pursue training as a chef.

Matt is among a new wave of kids who are opting for training in a skilled trade rather than attending university. And why not? Academic pursuits don't suit every kid, as attested to by the fact that approximately half of high school kids don't graduate.
Training in a skilled trade lets kids pursue their own interests and increases the likelihood that they will stay in school.

"Our response to Matt's career goal was very positive," says McGregor-Hunter. "In fact, we were impressed that anyone would have a good idea of what they wanted to do at such a relatively young age. I had no idea what I wanted to do, even when I started university."

Parents who might have preferred a university education for their kids can be reassured by the fact that there are plenty of jobs in skilled trades out there. The demand for workers in skilled trades and technology is on the rise and will continue to increase during the next 20 years, especially in the service, construction, transportation, and manufacturing sectors, according to Skills Canada, a national, not-for-profit organization.

"Given the current shortage in many trades, there is a degree of job security that is not present in many university-trained positions," McGregor-Hunter points out.
Parents are less likely to look askance at a career in a skilled trade than they once were, says Brian Gillan, cooperative education teacher and facilitator of the Universal Worker construction crafts program at Clarke S.S. in Newcastle. Gillan has seen a change in parental attitudes over the years and says, "The kids themselves help parents break through whatever prejudices they may have about the skilled trades. When the kids choose their courses, become successful, and get a job in their field, their self esteem goes sky high and it rubs off on the parents."

Goal: lower drop out rates
The Ontario Ministry of Education wants to see 85 per cent of the kids enrolled in Grade 9 in 2006 graduate. To make that happen, both public and separate school boards across Ontario have increased the availability of training in skilled trades.

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board launched its Pathways for Success program three years ago. The program provides pre-apprenticeship programs in a variety of construction and skilled trades.

"We want to engage students early with high-interest courses that meet their learning styles," says Robert Andrews, the program's principal. "Students spend Grade 9 studying a general curriculum." With the help of the schools' guidance counsellors, students can then decide on further academic training or training in a skilled trade. If the latter, they go into the Pathways program in Grade 10. "We offer many streams, from hairdresing and aesthetics to race car design and forestry," says Andrews. "After graduation, students have several options - they can go on to complete their apprenticeship, go to college or university, or work."

Both the public and separate school boards also administer the Skilled Trades and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), which is funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. The program allows students aged 16 and over to learn up to 135 skilled trades and work towards formal apprenticeship training in the second semester of their graduating year.

Both school boards have built partnerships between their high schools and local community colleges. For example at the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board students can spend two days at the college and three days in a co-op work placement to earn credits and gain practical experience with an employer in the trade.

"By the end of the semester, the student has the opportunity to have completed their Level 1 Apprenticeship training, gain high school credits as a result of their cooperative education placement, valuable work experience in the trade, contacts as a result of their work placement and valuable additions for their resume," says Reg Harwick, the board's student success consultant.

Explore options
It's a good idea for parents and teens to explore together the many routes kids can take to a secure future. "I would advise parents to think seriously about encouraging their children to enter the trades," advises McGregor-Hunter. But let your teen's interests lead the way.

Joanne Culley is a writer and documentary producer who lives in Peterborough with her two teenage sons. She can be reached at joanne.culley@sympatico.ca

Resources For more information about training in skilled trades, call your school's guidance department, or visit:

What's Available
Schools that are part of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board have many training options to spark students' interests:

St. Mary's S.S.: transportation technology with an agricultural focus, culinary arts and hospitality services