Carpentry Apprenticeship - Aurora CollegeCarpentry Education in CanadaCarpentry and Woodworking Programs -- Community College Programs
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Carpentry Apprenticeship - Aurora College What is an apprenticeship? An apprenticeship is a method of learning a trade through a combination of periods of in-class, technical/theoretical education and periods of paid, on-the-job training. During the latter portions of an apprenticeship, the student (apprentice) will work, in an indentured capacity, under the direction of a certified, journeyperson member of the trade one is learning, for a specific period of time. A journeyperson is an individual who has earned the standards of practice of his/her trade. In the Northwest Territories, apprentices are under the authority of Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Carpentry apprenticeships in the Northwest Territories are typically 4 years in duration delivered over 4 levels of 1800 hours each (class-based and on-the-job components combined). About 80 to 85 percent of an apprenticeship is comprised of experiential learning. The wage an apprentice earns depends on various factors such as education/training, experience, and economic aspects like supply and demand. An apprentice can, however, start at about 40 to 50 percent of what a journeyperson would earn in the trade being learned, and increasing with each progression in the various stages of the apprenticeship. The advantage of completing an apprenticeship is not only that one acquires in-depth knowledge and skills in a trade but also that, within the latter, one's career opportunities and salary potential are normally increased. Furthermore, once an individual has obtained journeyperson status, he/she may be eligible to have his/her certification as such endorsed by the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program (Red Seal). The latter enables the journeyperson to practice his/her trade throughout Canada, provided the trade is designated in that locale, without undergoing further examinations. How does one become an apprentice? To qualify for a carpentry apprenticeship program in the Northwest Territories, applicants must be at least 16 years of age, have completed Grade 10 English, Mathematics, and Science, and pass all required trades entrance examinations with a minimum of 70 percent. Furthermore, before a person can enter an apprenticeship program, he/she must find a qualified (journeyperson) employer willing to apprentice him/her. The responsibility for finding an employer ultimately rests with the person wanting to be apprenticed. However, the Territories government has established various programs that can assist prospective apprentices attain employment, or at least the credentials to become employable. For example, students still in high school may become an apprentice via the Schools North Apprenticeship Program (SNAP). The latter is for students interested in learning a trade and who possess 'the motivation and academic ability to get started on a career path.' Students partaking in SNAP will work on a jobsite, earn a wage, receive 'school credits through Career and Technology Studies (CTS),' and be awarded 'time credits towards a Journeyperson Certificate.' Furthermore, persons can take relevant programs at various Colleges. In fact, Aurora College's Trades Access Program can help students get started on their way to becoming apprentices by providing them with a general introduction to trades as well as allowing them to earn time credits towards their respective apprenticeships. The advantage of completing a relevant program or training before seeking to be apprenticed is that the graduate often finds favour with potential employers because he/she has obtained the skills required to become immediately productive on the job, and thus may find sponsorship easier to come by. Moreover, a person who possesses previous training and/or work experience in the trade in which he/she wants to be apprenticed may be eligible to receive time credits towards the apprenticeship program and/or may be able to challenge the latter's technical training portion. Before an individual can be officially indentured, he/she and his/her employer must officially register with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment by signing an Apprenticeship Contract. Once the apprenticeship has been approved, the apprentice may apply for the technical portions of the apprentice at Aurora College via the latter's Carpentry Apprenticeship. Apprentices will be eligible for financial aid, should they require such assistance, and may qualify for Employment Insurance (EI).
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