S U M M E R E d i t i o n 2 0 1 5

Trades Today

Volume 2 Edition 2

Ontario supports College’s Public Register Recent Ipsos-Reid poll reveals College is on the right track

Skilled trades a way of life for Hamilton family Preston, Justin and Andrew talk about their passion for skilled trades

From Kabul to Toronto How a military veteran built a career in the trades

WESTbound for greatness Women in Windsor-Essex joining the skilled trades

S U M M E R E d i t i o n 2 0 1 5

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J oshua Agius is a man of action.

The 27-year-old Toronto resident is a registered apprentice in the drywall, acoustic and lathing

applicator trade, at Torino Drywall, a unionized contractor with the Interior Systems Contractors Association of Ontario and he knows that certification in a skilled trade won’t leave him stuck behind a desk in an office.

“Throughout my whole life I’ve wanted to develop new skills, and now that I’m nearly finished my apprenticeship, I’ve got these trade skills in my pocket. I’m super-employable, and I can work anywhere.”

Not that his work experience hasn’t already taken him to exotic locales.

Agius is a military veteran who served a tour of duty in Afghanistan. After basic training in Quebec, he was sent to Meaford, Ontario where he completed speciality training in the infantry.

Several years later, Agius was able to put some of his training to use.

From Kabul to TorontoAfter a tour in Afghanistan, military veteran builds a career in the trades

He spent the better part of 2012 in Kabul doing ‘force protection’; his team was in charge of security for NATO convoys doing supply runs, or making trips to and from the airport.

“I got lucky on that tour. We were outside the wire every day, so we got to move around. It was a good time,” says Agius, “It wasn’t a combat tour, but we were very active. We weren’t down south in Kandahar, and it was later [in the war]. It was a good experience, and it was nice to be able to employ what I learned in training. You miss home, though.”

Upon returning to Canada, Agius decided to leave the Army and pursue a career in the skilled trades. “I applied to Helmets to Hardhats…and within a few days I was on a job site here in Toronto,” says Agius. The in-school training he received at the Interior Finishing Systems Training Centre, led him to a job placement with Torino Drywall.

Helmets to Hardhats is a non-profit organization that provides apprenticeship training and employment opportunities for Canadians who have served, or are currently serving in either the Regular or Reserve Force Components of the Canadian Forces.

“Helping the dedicated men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces like Joshua, find a rewarding career in the skilled trades is what Helmets to Hardhats is all about,” says Greg Matte a retired Brigadier General who now serves as the National Executive Director of the Helmets to Hardhats Canada program.

There are a number of skills one picks up in the military that are transferable to the skilled trades, according to Agius, and that makes the transition to a civilian career that much more smooth.

“Employers know that someone in the military is going to be punctual, and that they will bring the right skills and the right attitude to the worksite. That sets you apart,” says Agius.

Matte couldn’t agree more.

“Going from military service to a career in the skilled trades is a natural fit,” adding “that’s why Helmets to Hardhats works closely with organizations like the Ontario College of Trades to promote a career in the skilled trades to our members.”

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Former and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces with QL5 proficiency plus a corporal rank in nine specified trades may use the College’s Trade Equivalency Assessment (TEA) application to apply and challenge the certification exam to the corresponding civilian trade in Ontario.

The TEA is for Canadian and international experienced workers, who have not completed an Ontario apprenticeship, but want to obtain Ontario certification in their trade.

To find out if TEA is right for you, visit the College’s website at collegeoftrades.ca. Here you will find the TEA Application Guide and easy step-by-step information.

Department of National Defence trades and their Red Seal counterparts:

Trade Equivalency Assessment (TEA) process

Military Trade Name Red Seal Trade Name Ontario Trade Name Marine Engineering Technician Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)

Machinist (for Naval Machinists)

Industrial Mechanic MillwrightGeneral Machinist

Electrical Technician (formerly Marine Technician)

Industrial Electrician Industrial Electrician

Vehicle Technician Automotive Service TechnicianHeavy Duty Equipment Technician

Truck and Transport Mechanic

Automotive Service TechnicianHeavy Duty Equipment Technician

Truck and Coach Technician

Material Technician Welder WelderRefrigeration and Mechanical Technician Refrigeration and Air

Conditioning MechanicRefrigeration and Air

Conditioning Systems MechanicElectrical Distribution Technician Construction Electrician Electrician Construction and

MaintenancePlumbing and Heating Technician Plumber

Oil Burner MechanicPlumber

n/a Construction Technician Carpenter General Carpenter

Cook Cook Cook

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For Preston, Justin and Andrew White, the trades are a family affair.

It is late afternoon on a warm spring day, and the Whites are gathered around a table in a kitchen bathed in sunlight, describing why they so eagerly decided to embrace a career in the skilled trades.

“Our grandfather and our dad worked at a steel mill. I remember dad coming home and saying: ‘get into a trade, boys,’” says Preston White, certified auto body and collision damage repairer.

“That’s because there will always be a job out there for you. People are always going to have to go to the bathroom,” adds Preston’s younger brother, Justin, a plumber apprentice. “I guess we were listening.”

Indeed they were.

More than a decade after soaking up that advice, Preston, Justin and their cousin, Andrew, a certified electrician, are thriving in their respective skilled trades: Andrew is head electrician at his organization, Preston is an auto body and collision damage repairer at a busy Hamilton Mountain

shop, and Justin is completing his plumbing apprenticeship with a large construction company.

Each member of the tight-knit east Hamilton clan attributes their success to the passion they developed for their trades as teenagers.

“My friends and I were always working on cars when we were young. I always enjoyed it, always had fun with it,” says Preston.

All in the Family

“To be successful you have to be willing to get a little dirty, but you also have to be technologically inclined.”

From left to right: Andrew, Justin and Preston White.

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“We weren’t going to sit behind desks. We’re all pretty hands-on guys. Why not do it for a living?”

Andrew has a similar story.

“I was going into Grade 9 and we were finishing our basement. A bunch of my dad’s friends were electricians and they would come over and help us do the electrical. I was fascinated by it…I really fell in love with the work.”

What sustains their interest, though, is the opportunity to tackle new and different challenges on an almost daily basis.

“For the new F-150s that came out, I had to go take an aluminum-welding course so I could be certified to do welding on those. And then I had to take a structural repair course, and all the different stuff with air bags and those modules. They put more and more computers into cars, and the guys on the bench need to know how to fix them,” explains Preston.

“Once you’re in the trades you have so many opportunities to be able to keep evolving. The trade evolves and you evolve with it,” adds Andrew.

The Ontario College of Trades is mandated to modernize the skilled trades, and part of that role includes updating the training and curriculum standards for the next generation of apprentices, so they come out of training programs up-to-date with the latest technologies like contemporary automotive diagnostic programs or plumbing design software.

Like Justin says of plumbing, “to be successful you have to be willing to get a little dirty, but you also have to be technologically inclined.”

But the College is doing far more than modernizing the skilled trades; it is helping diminish the underground economy, too.

“The benefit of the Ontario College of Trades is that it keeps away those guys who haven’t put in the time and effort to get certified. [Uncertified workers] can give you a bad name, and potentially steal work from you, taking food from the plate of my family,” asserts Justin.

“The whole point of the College is to elevate the industry, and show that tradespeople are educated, hard-working people.”

Preston, Justin and Andrew White each enjoy careers in which they are paid well, and intellectually stimulated. Preston and Andrew have some advice for young people who might be on the fence about choosing a career in the skilled trades.

“The first few years can be a challenge because you’ve got a lot to learn, but the reward at the end of it is huge. While you’re doing your apprenticeship, you’re earning while you learn. And when you finish, there are lots of jobs out there and

you can work anywhere in Canada,” says Preston.

Andrew’s advice is simple.

“If you’re on the fence, you have to jump the fence. It’s worth it.”

“The benefit of the Ontario

College of Trades is that it keeps away

those guys who haven’t put in the time and effort to get certified.” -

Justin White

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Chelsey Rae Hooker is a busy woman. The high-achieving 28-year-old works in food safety at a large food company, sits on the Ontario College of Trades

Board of Governors, and served as a mentor at this year’s Ontario Technological Skills Competition’s Young Women’s Conference.

It’s an impressive set of accomplishments, made even more so considering the circuitous route she took to get there.

Fresh out of high school, Hooker decided she wanted to be a veterinarian. She enrolled in the University of Guelph’s wildlife biology program, but left the school before graduating.

“It just wasn’t my thing. It wasn’t the right fit. My dad is a skilled tradesperson. He’s a sprinkler fitter in Ottawa and he suggested a skilled trade might be a better option for my learning style,” says Hooker.

So she gave carpentry a try.

“I got involved in the women in skilled trades pre-apprenticeship carpentry program. After graduating from that, I worked in a couple of different positions

in carpentry. But that was in 2009 and there was a recession.”

The day her carpentry contract ended, she left the job site, walked down the street and into a bakery.

Skills Competition a springboard to success, says College Board member

“I applied for a position on the spot because I always wanted to work in a bakery. After two weeks working there, the owner

said ‘You seem so happy working here. You should be my apprentice.’ And the rest is history.”

Chelsey Rae Hooker (née Des Roches) at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition

Former contestant, Chelsey Rae Hooker, urges young people to aim high

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“I applied for a position on the spot because I always wanted to work in a bakery. After two weeks working there, the owner said ‘You seem so happy working here. You should be my apprentice.’ And the rest is history.”

Hooker sees her story as a potential template for young women interested in a career in the trades.

“I like to tell young girls that they don’t have to commit at 18 years old to what they want to do with the rest of their lives. I encourage them to consider some non-traditional paths, and maybe that can help you choose what to do with your life,” says Hooker.

Some of Hooker’s most positive experiences as an up-and-coming skilled tradesperson came from her participation in the Ontario Technological Skills Competition’s college baking contest.

“I was doing my apprenticeship at Niagara College when I was asked to take part. It was the first time I participated in a competition of this style. I placed sixth, and it was one of the best experiences that I’ve had in my career in pastry,” insists Hooker. “It’s great preparation for the future.”

Though her days as a competitor are far behind, she still remembers the experience fondly.

“I think it’s a testament to the program that there are so many people who came back to volunteer after having participated in the Skills Competition. Sometimes afterwards students get really upset if the competition doesn’t go the way that they want. But even a competition that doesn’t turn out the way you want can be an amazing learning experience. You learn a lot about who you are and how far you can push yourself.”

She encourages anyone thinking of a career in the skilled trades to visit the Ontario College of Trades website www.earnwhileyoulearn.ca.

“For any young people considering a career in the trades, this site is the best place to start; it’s got information on all the different trades so you can find what works for you,” she adds.

Student competitors prepping their creations at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition

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T he annual Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC)

demonstrated once again that the future of Ontario’s skilled trades industry is a bright one. Over a three-day stretch from May 4-6, elementary, high school and post-secondary students from across the province descended upon RIM Park in Waterloo and competed in more than 65 contests, including welding, carpentry, baking, electrical and hairstyling.

The competition, organized by Skills Ontario, was a great success.

“We drew more than 20,000 spectators. To me, that says that there are a lot of kids realizing how many careers are available in the trades. More and more, young people are realizing that they want to work with their hands as well as their heads,” said Gail Smyth, Executive Director of Skills Ontario.

Brittany Pignotti is a 17-year-old Grade 12 student who competed in the baking competition.

“You put in a lot of hard work to get here, but once you can get out there it’s all worth it. I think it’s a great experience,” says Pignotti.

Ontario College of Trades Registrar and CEO David Tsubouchi and the Board of Governors’ Chair, Pat Blackwood, were on hand to tour the grounds, and speak to competitors.

“I’m continuously impressed by what I see, and this year, the level of skill and expertise was phenomenal,” said Tsubouchi, “Gail and her team from Skills Ontario should be proud of putting together such an impressive event.

Future skilled trades professionals shine at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition

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“It’s great to see so much enthusiasm for the skilled trades from students,” added Blackwood “It’s clear that some of Ontario’s best and brightest young minds have whole-heartedly embraced skilled, technology-based trades.”

Grade 10 students Kylie and Chelsea from Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute, were a case in point.

“I’m thinking of becoming an electrician when I finish high school. I’ve always liked working with my hands, and I like the feeling of satisfaction when I finish a project,” said Kylie, who is a student in her school’s Construction Technology course.

“It’s cool to see first-hand all of the options that are out there,” added Chelsea.

Winners at the OTSC competed in the Skills Canada National Competition in Saskatoon, May 27–30, and winners of the Nationals are off to São Paulo, Brazil to compete against the best students from 53 countries at the WorldSkills Competition this August.

“It’s clear that some of Ontario’s best and brightest young minds have whole-heartedly embraced skilled, technology-

based trades.” - Pat Blackwood

Student competitors at this year’s Ontario Technological Skills Competition

From left to right: David Tsubouchi, the College’s Registrar and CEO, Pat Blackwood, Chair of the Ontario College of Trades Board of Governors, the Honourable Reza Moridi, Minister of Training, Colleges and Uni-versities, and Gail Smyth, Executive Director of Skills Ontario.

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There’s no such thing as a ‘man’s job’ or a ‘woman’s job’ anymore,” says Toni MacDonald of Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc. (WEST) in

Windsor, Ontario.

The non-profit organization, which has been a staple in the Windsor-Essex region since 1987, caters to the needs of women facing significant barriers to employment opportunities. WEST recently launched the ‘Women in Skilled Trades and Information Technology’ pre-apprenticeship training program, which includes skills enhancement and volunteer placements to better prepare its clients for entry — and success — in the workplace.

With funding from the Ontario Women’s Directorate, the program, which started last spring, prepares women for highly skilled and in-demand trades and IT jobs.

A combination of workshops, in-class, and practical labs teach employability skills and workplace culture. Workshops led by women who work in the trades are designed to build confidence and offer insight into the industry.

And their approach to training seems to be working.

“Approximately 80 per cent of women who have graduated from the training program have found employment, or have pursued further training or apprenticeships within six months of graduating,” says MacDonald. “The WEST philosophy encourages women to take the lead and to seek information when exploring a new – or first – career.”

WEST works closely with sector employers conducting labour market research to develop local strategies addressing current and future labour shortages in the trades and employment opportunities for women and youth. The training programs are delivered in communities where skill shortages have been identified or are projected by local employers and labour market information.

Starting this August, WEST is launching a 42-week CNC Industrial Mechanic Millwright Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Program in partnership with St. Clair College and UNIFOR.

For more information on WEST visit: www.westofwindsor.com

All signs point toPreparing women for success in the workplace helps fill skill shortages in the Windsor-Essex region

WS

ET

Student participating in the Skilled Trades for Women Program by WEST of Windsor Inc. Funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Women’s Directorate.

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The Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship announced on June 1, 2015 the official recognition of the “RSE” acronym (Red Seal Endorsement) for qualified skilled journeypersons.

The Red Seal program allows tradespeople to have their Ontario designated Red Seal certification recognized in any other province or territory across Canada.

Members of prestigious professions and accredited groups are often identified by the use of an official acronym that confirms their certification and/or accreditation. Now qualified skilled trades workers can enjoy the same benefit of showcasing their credentials, with the RSE acronym.

The RSE acronym is to be used by journeypersons who have obtained a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial or territorial Certificate of Qualification by successfully completing a Red Seal examination.

The Red Seal is the Canadian standard of excellence for skilled trades and anyone holding a Red Seal endorsement can begin using RSE on their business cards and promotional materials today.

There are currently 47 Red Seal trades in Ontario, and four trades that will become designated Red Seal trades: heat and frost insulator and three heavy equipment operator trades (dozer, excavator, and tractor loader backhoe). The Red Seal program makes it easier for apprentices to complete their training wherever they are able to find work, and allows employers to assess skills based on a National standard.

The Ontario College of Trades continues to support the Red Seal program and the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship by participating in various National Workshops and Working Groups to develop Red Seal products.

Acting as a host province for a trade means a province like Ontario takes a leadership role in the development of Red Seal products: National Occupational Analyses (NOAs), Interprovincial Program Guides (i.e. National Curricula), Exam Banks and the piloted Red Seal Occupational Standards (RSOS).

The Red Seal of approval

Of the 57 Red Seal trades, Ontario is the host province for 12 trades, including:

*Ontario became the host province for the Brick and Stone Mason trade as of January 2015. For more information on Red Seal and the new RSE acronym, visit www.red-seal.ca.

RED SEAl TRADE NAME BricklayerBakerLandscape Horticulturalist Tower Crane OperatorDrywall Finisher and PlastererSprinkler System InstallerConstruction Craft WorkerIndustrial ElectricianSheet Metal WorkerMachinistTool and Die MakerAutomotive Service Technician

ONTARIO TRADE NAME Brick and Stone Mason*Baker-PatissierHorticultural TechnicianHoisting Engineer – Tower Crane OperatorDrywall Finisher and PlastererSprinkler and Fire Protection InstallerConstruction Craft WorkerIndustrial ElectricianSheet Metal WorkerGeneral MachinistTool and Die MakerAutomotive Service Technician

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disclaimer: While ontario College of trades makes every effort to ensure that the information in this publication is current and accurate, ontario College of trades does not warrant or guarantee that it will be free of errors. the information contained in this publication is not intended to cover all situations. it is general information only and users/readers are encouraged to seek their own independent advice for particular fact situations.

Ontario College of Trades655 Bay St., Suite 600 toronto, on M5G 2K4

telephone: (647) 847-3000 toll free number: 1 (855) 299-0028Fax: 1 (647) 340-4332E-mail: info@collegeoftrades.ca

An overwhelming majority of Ontarians want to know if the person they hire to do important electrical, plumbing and automotive work is properly certified to do the job, according to a recent Ipsos-Reid poll.

A whopping 92 per cent of Ontario residents support the Public Register, an online tool created by the Ontario College of Trades (the College), which allows anyone in Ontario with access to a computer the ability to confirm if a tradesperson is a member in good standing with the College, the poll found.

“What this tells us is that people in this province want to feel safe in their homes and where they work,” says the College’s Registrar and CEO, David Tsubouchi, “and that includes being confident that individuals performing the skills of compulsory trades have the training and certification required to legally practise their trade in Ontario.”

Highlighting the importance of checking the Public Register, Tsubouchi referenced the senior citizen in London who was duped by an uncertified worker claiming to be a qualified tradesperson; the worker left the woman thousands of dollars out of pocket and with dangerous electrical work in her home.

“The reality is that there are unqualified individuals out there willing to take advantage of the citizens of this province, and steal business from the hardworking certified skilled tradespeople who have put in the time and effort that certification requires,” says Tsubouchi.

The poll also found that 97% of respondents support the College’s role in ensuring that individuals in Ontario who are performing the work of skilled tradespeople have the training and certification the law requires.

To access the Public Register, visit the College’s website: www.collegeoftrades.ca.

Ontarians Support the College’s Public Register