CTR schools offering summer career training programs to students

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Christ the Redeemer schools is in partnership with The Educational Partnership Foundation to provide summer career training for interested students, which also provides credits towards their high school diplomas. 

The program aims to provide real world training under the guidance of experienced journeyperson instructors.

Each of the five available programs will take place at designated training centers in Calgary throughout the month of July. These programs include pipe trades, ironworkers, hair and esthetics, finishing trades, and boilermaker.

“This programming will allow (students) to work with industry mentors in order to develop skills, including industry-recognized safety credentials, as well as explore a variety of different potential pathways in in-demand trades,” said Jacqueline Yu, student services consultant with Christ the Redeemer schools. “They will also earn work experience credits towards their Alberta high school diploma … the purpose of this programming is to allow students to get a taste of each one so that they can make informed choices as they move forward into the world of work.”

Unlike the other four options, the boilermaker program has an 18 years of age requirement, as well as an additional screening process. 

Yu explained the association union is involved in identifying students for the boilermaker program.

“As part of it, we want (students) to have a chance to broadly expose themselves to different career pathways and to have hands-on learning opportunities so that they can make informed choices when pursuing their career pathways,” she said.

In addition to allowing students to explore their interests, it may also allow them to discover something new.

This aims to aid in a student’s decision-making process and better prepare them for potentially pursuing an internship or apprenticeship.

“I have also seen it as a confidence building experience for students because they are getting feedback on the other strengths and gifts that they bring to the table, and an opportunity to work with a person that they admire,” said Yu. “Each program has specific requirements and we have an information pamphlet for each one. For the boilermaker program you need to be 18 years of age … and then for the other programs, 16 years old. There are also prerequisites, so for example, all of them require workplace safety, HCS 3000, and most of them require construction safety systems.”

Each of the programs are free to sign up for to students with a deadline of May 9, save for the boilermaker program, for which there is an April 30 deadline.

More information is available through the school division as well as through the Educational Partnership Foundation website.