With skilled trades workers in high demand — young students and guidance counsellors are part of the solution
CBC
As more and more skilled trade workers gear up for retirement, there's a strong push in Windsor-Essex, Ont., to bring in young talent to replace them.
St. Anne Catholic High School student Abbey Drouillard is exactly the kind of talent employers are looking for.
At 17 years old, she's eager and excited to become a welder.
"My father is a mechanic and I love watching him make things, fix things, build things," she said.
"I wanted to do that myself, like, make many things, to produce things that can help others or could be of use to others."
Drouillard is taking part in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) through her school. It allows high school students to start an apprenticeship in the trades while still in school, and finish with a diploma and graduate as a registered apprentice.
Drouillard is doing her placement with REKO, a company that provides industrial automation services.
Her uncle is also a welder, and she learned through him there was a high demand for skilled people in that trade.
Though it's difficult, Drouillard said she's building a lot of confidence in her welding abilities.
"I'm doing it so often and I'm getting better at it and I enjoy it the entire time," she said.
REKO currently has 10 students doing placements with the company through OYAP, from welding to machinist work, to IT.
Lauren Beaudoin, the director of human resources, acknowledges the company is seeing a shortage of workers, with one in three employees looking to retire in the next five to 10 years.
Partnering with OYAP helps with succession planning.
"It's always a struggle to find people," she said.