Woodworking Technician - Conestoga College of Applied Arts and TechnologyWoodworking Education in CanadaCarpentry and Woodworking Programs -- Community College Programs
PROGRAM WEBSITE
Woodworking Technician - Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology The Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology's Woodworking Technician is a 2-year Ontario College Diploma program designed for students aspiring to careers in wood-based manufacturing. The Program, which is taught at the Woodworking Centre of Ontario, Doon Campus, will expose students to the knowledge, skills, and technology used in the modern manufacturing of such products as architectural millwork, cabinets, and furniture. The first year of the Program, which will involve much practical training, will teach students how to set-up and operate 'wood working machinery and equipment' and how to breakout 'lumber and panel components,' laminate, veneer, machine, sand, assemble, finish, and install. The final year will involve 'extensive project work, introduction to production management skills and mandatory modules on manufacture of kitchen cabinets and architectural millwork, basic word processing and CAD' (Computer-Aided Design). Graduates of the Program have been successful in finding in employment. In 2004/2005, for example, 94 percent were employed 'within 6 months of graduation,' and had an average starting wage of $35,000. Woodworkers are most often employed indoors in various aspects of the construction, wood, and wood products manufacturing industries. Employers of cabinetmakers may include, for example, by companies, contractors, custom or repair shops, hardware stores, interior designers, lumber yards, manufacturers, and/or private individuals. Some woodworkers may pursue self employment options. Among the numerous areas in which woodworkers may work include design operations, designing, installing, and/or manufacturing wooden cabinets, furniture, and various fixtures, interior finishing and design, repair, restoration, renovation, and/or sales. Woodworkers can work up to 40 hours per week or more, depending upon demand for their services and products, and it is not unusual for them to labour in a shop environment in which they are exposed to high levels of noise, various dust particles, and chemicals, especially from paint. Individuals who aspire to advance their careers in woodworking may be interested in pursuing further educational opportunities to refine and enhance their abilities, particularly via an apprenticeship. The latter 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 under the direction of a certified, journeyperson member of the trade one is learning for a specified amount of time. A journeyperson is an individual who has earned the standards of practice of his/her trade. Graduates of the Woodworking Technician program may qualify for advanced credits towards an 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. Woodworkers who earn journeyperson status may, after obtaining several years of experience beyond an apprenticeship, become educators, supervisors, and/or trainers of their trade. To be eligible for the Woodworking Technician program, applicants have successfully completed Grade 11 Physics or Science or Conestoga College Preparatory Physics. Applicants may be required to write an English and/or Mathematics examination. The College recommends that applicants acquire basic computer literacy and familiarity with technical drafting and laboratories or shops as this may help students' chances for success in the Program. Applicants are encouraged 'to attend an information session to confirm program choice.' The College's admission procedure determines one's academic strength by calculating 'all submitted senior level secondary school marks or test results (or equivalent) of the required subjects' with an additional 20 marks 'to each advanced level, OAC, U, U/C, or post-secondary course used in the calculation of the academic strength.' Applicants possessing 'significant life and work experience' may be eligible for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (P.L.A.R.) credits; for details. such individuals are advised to contact the Information Centre at 519-748-5220 ext. 3656.
TOP |
|
