Earning cash and knowledge
SAIT student tradesmen relish more time on job while studying
The opportunity to keep earning a paycheque while studying is attracting more students to an innovative, blended learning program at SAIT in Calgary.
The program is aimed at young tradesmen who, as part of their training, would traditionally spend an average of eight weeks each year off the job at college as they work toward becoming a journeyman in trades such as plumbing and welding.
And for many of those trainees, that time spent at college would result lost paycheques or having to sign up for unemployment benefits.
Now SAIT is encouraging tradespeople, as well as their employers, to take part in a blended learning program which is being expanded this fall to add carpentry to the plumbing, welding and electrical trades which are already included in the program.
Those students who have already taken part have been impressed.
“It enabled me to keep a full paycheque coming home. Being a father of three I have a lot of home expenses,” said Rob Milton, in his third year of plumbing studies.
“It was a good opportunity for me to take the program because my employer was pretty busy at that time so it was nice for him to have me to take some of the work off his shoulders,” he added.
Scott Mac Pherson, Dean at SAIT’s School of Construction, said apprentices attend classes for eight to 10 weeks each year as part of their training during the average four years it takes to become a journeyman.
“If a student was to come to get training fully in class they are here for eight weeks but if they do it through the blended online program they are only here for four weeks.
“It is the best of both worlds. Apprentices enjoy up to four weeks more on the job getting paid while for employers it means they can keep their existing tradespeople on the job longer,” added MacPherson, who is responsible for SAIT’s carpentry and plumbing programs.
He said SAIT looked at what was delivered over the eight weeks and what training did not need to be delivered in a shop or lab. They moved that portion online.
Brad Piccott, a 28-year-old welding apprentice, is taking his third and final year through the blended learning program. He originally enrolled for his second year studies and liked it.
“I like working at my own pace. I really pushed myself in the second year because I wanted to get through it and I ended up passing everything. My instructor asked if I wanted to come back and do the blended programin the third and I said ‘Heck, yes.”
Piccott said it is important that those who enrol have selfdiscipline to do the online work at home.
“You get what you put into it,” he added.
Unlike some apprentices, Piccott has his wages topped up by his employer, Enerflex Systems of Calgary.
“My employer tops up my wages 80 per cent, although a lot don’t. It’s good for your employer, too, if things are busy because they don’t lose you for as long,” he added.
Max Thrasher, an electrical apprentice in his third year, likes the flexibility of working from home.
“The blended learning program is flexible because you are not stuck in a timeline, day-in and day-out so you can accommodate your school schedule as well as your work schedule.
“The instructors are always available and ready to help you in any way they can. If you are working after hours at home you can send an e-mail and get a response the very next day,” he said.
Byron Langager, a fourth-year electrical apprentice, said wouldbe applicants should not be dissuaded if they have limited computer skills.
“I don’t think you need to know a lot about computers to take the blended learning program— just the basics.
“I’m the first person to do this in my company. I hope they will realize the advantages of keep- ing me employed yet me being in school at the same time,” said Langager.
Third-year electrical apprentice Simon Mather agreed.
“I chose (it) because it offers me a way to continue working while attending my technical studies. It is pretty straightforward and hands-on. It explains itself and is pretty easy to use. I’d recommend it for other apprentices who are willing to commit and stay focused,” he said,
James Campbell, 26, is in his third year of a four-year plumbing program.
At the moment he is at SAIT for a four-week stint after completing the rest of this year’s work online. It is something he appreciates, as he will forfeit less wages from Sure-Fit Mechanical.
“It’s a little more fast-paced but it’s a lot better as you don’t have to take so much time off work,” said Campbell.
“Normally it would be two months that you have to take off but this means it’s only one month.”
SAIT wants to encourage more young workers and their employers to take part. With about 200 people in each of the trades finishing training every year, Macpherson expects the blended learning programto increase in popularity.
“When you get a couple of students through the program they get back to the job site and get talking to their colleagues about how great an experience it was,” said MacPherson.
“Once we knock down those barriers out there it will really take off,” he added.