Ontario’s new plan fast-tracks trades training for teens

Grade 11 and 12 students in program can spend 80% of time in co-op, 20% in class

High school students who want a career in the trades will be able to spend up to 80 per cent of their time on training and 20 per cent on academics under a new, fast-track plan the province has unveiled to start this fall.

Details of the program — meant to make it easier for teens to transition into the trades amid a province-wide shortage — were announced Wednesday morning by Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Labour Minister David Piccini almost a year after the government first said it was going to explore the idea.

“We’re helping to tackle the labour shortage by allowing motivated, entrepreneurial students to get on a fast-track to a career in the skilled trades,” said Piccini.

In Grades 11 and 12, teens can start in the Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training (FAST) program that will give them more time on training while still taking required courses they need to earn a diploma.

They will be allowed to spend up to 80 per cent of their time on the trades, and the remaining 20 per cent in class. Anywhere between eight to 11 credits can be earned from trades training through co-op placements, but they are still required to earn the mandatory math and English credits in Grade 11, and English in Grade 12.

“This is a significant increase in flexibility” and gives students many more choices, said Lecce.

“This will accelerate entrance into the skilled trades, supported by the mandatory requirement for all students to take at least one technical education course starting this September,” the education minister said.

Concerns had been raised last year that teens would miss out on fundamental learning in math or English if those courses didn’t remain mandatory in Grades 11 or 12, and that they might lose their connections to peers.

Cathy Abraham, president of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, said she’s pleased with what’s included and how the Education Ministry listened to suggestions during consultations.

“School boards recognize there is a need for more students to pursue opportunities in the skilled trades as part of a modernized secondary school program,” Abraham said.

“This plan recognizes the importance of exposing students to the skilled trades while also ensuring they remain connected to their school, increasing the likelihood that they will graduate.”

Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, said the government’s initial announcement “was a problem. They asked for consultation, and we put in information and I think they listened, which is helpful.

“We didn’t want kids coming out of school at 15 without any of the mandatory courses” and unprepared for work.

The new program falls under the existing Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), and will be marked with a “seal of distinction” on participants’ high school diplomas.

Teens will be able to take part in full-time apprenticeship training in 144 trades.

The province will also create a new, online job-matching portal for apprenticeship positions.

Matt Bradley, the OYAP co-ordinator at the Toronto District School Board, said the changes are modelled on OYAP and he’s pleased to see its supports.

“We’ve been promoting eight credits of co-op to students widely for many years,” he said, adding that the training will mean “students who are graduating are going to be really welcomed into the workforce. They’ll find it very easy to get a job with the experience that they’ve gained.”

His one concern is the requirement for Grade 12 English, which can be a barrier for some students — although he noted that offering it through night school has been a success.

Brampton Centre MPP Charmaine Williams, the province’s associate minister of women’s social and economic opportunity, said there will also be more mentorship opportunities for women, “ensuring that every aspiring tradeswoman has the support and guidance they need to thrive.”

The province began consulting on accelerating trades education last fall, and on how many on-the-job credits could be used towards the 30-credit high school diploma.

Premier Doug Ford had touted the move as a “game-changer,” especially as the province has an acute shortage of skilled labour, especially in construction, where 72,000 workers are needed over the next few years.

The government had been looking for a “better, simpler, faster way to get students from high school into the skilled trades” while balancing both the training and academic skills needed for this new initiative, Lecce has said.

This plan recognizes the importance of exposing students to the skilled trades while also ensuring they remain connected to their school.

KAREN LITTLEWOOD, PRESIDENT OF THE ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ FEDERATION