Lakie students learn about potential career paths
G.S. Lakie Middle School is generally better known for its fine arts programs, but on Wednesday morning Grade 7 students had a chance to see a different aspect of education as the school hosted its Skills Day, which focused on presenting students with potential career paths in the practical trades.
“Kids feel like they need to do the university route often, and then once they get up in the higher grades, often realize that isn’t the route they want to take,” said Innovative Design teacher and Skills Day co-ordinator Lori Adamson. “But they are not aware of what other options there are.”
Students took in half-hour sessions covering woodworking, ironworking, audio-visual programming, small technology repair, machining, heavy duty mechanics, bicycle repair and crane operating with local trades people.
Lehi Heath was helping out with the woodworking sessions. He said it was great to see the students’ enthusiasm for what they were learning, and he hoped some would consider the trades when making their future educations plans.
“Trades in general need lots of people to be involved in them,” he said, “and you can earn while learn. You can work for 10 months out of the year, and go to school for two months, so you don’t incur a huge debtload when you finish and graduate from your four-year program.”
Student Reid Decillia was having a great time at the Skills Day sessions and admitted the day had given him food for thought about his future.
“I think it is just a really great experience to see all these people from Lethbridge come in and show us what they do for a living,” he said. “It provides us good opportunities for jobs for the future. I do feel like I could definitely go into a career in AV or in shop ... This day really provided a different perspective.”