Carpentry Apprentice Level I - Yukon CollegeCarpentry Education in CanadaCarpentry and Woodworking Programs -- Community College Programs
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Carpentry Apprentice Level I - Yukon 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 Yukon, apprenticeships are under the authority of the Advanced Education Branch of the Department of Education. In Yukon, completing a carpentry apprenticeship normally takes about 4 years, in-class and on-the-job training combined. The in-class portion of an apprenticeship will be delivered via 4 eight-week sessions per year. Yukon College's Carpentry Apprentice Training Level I, which is offered in partnership with the Advanced Education Branch, fulfills the requirements for the first of these 8 weeks. To qualify for the latter, however, applicants 'must be registered apprentices.' 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. However, an apprentice can start off earning 40 to 50 percent what a journeyperson carpenter earns and that percentage usually increases with each progression 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? In Yukon, to be eligible to enter an apprenticeship, an individual will usually need to be at least 16 years of age, although many employers prefer at least high school graduates. 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 Advanced Education Branch provides services to assist individuals attain suitable employment or at least help them improve their respective employability credentials, such as the Yukon Government Apprentice Program (YGAP). Furthermore, individuals can complete a relevant program at a College, such as Yukon College's Carpentry Pre-Employment or Women Exploring Trades and Technology programs, before seeking an apprenticeship. The advantage of completing a relevant program and/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 Advanced Education Branch. To begin the registration process, the student, once he/she has found an employer willing to train him/her, must contact the office of the Branch's office closest to him/her. Both the apprentice and his/her employer must sign an official apprenticeship contract. Once the apprenticeship has been approved, the apprentice may proceed with applying for the Carpentry Apprentice Level I at Yukon College. Apprentices will be eligible for financial aid, should they need it, as well as Employment Insurance (EI).
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