March 27th, 2008
By Nancy King
Cape Breton Post
MEMBERTOU – Adults may be talking about a skills shortage and the availability of jobs for tradespeople, but that message may not always be filtering through to students who are just starting the process of exploring potential career options.
But events like a trades fair held here Wednesday are one way of ensuring that does happen, one teacher suggested.
“Students may hear and adults may know there are opportunities available…for young people the awareness is very important and for them to understand that there are people in Cape Breton who not only want to see them get trained, there are people who want to see them get trained and stay here to work, that’s the key getting that message out to the young poeople,” said Terry Kehoe.
The Fast Track Your Future skilled trades and technology fair was presented at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre, Wedneday by JCI Cape Breton. It brought about 200 students from across the region together with people from different trades, as well as instructors and representatives of different agencies to help students explore possible career and education options. Throughout the day, they took part in workshops, information sessions and interactive exhibits.
Kehoe, who is a co-op education teacher at Sydney Academy, was at the fair with 15 students from that school. That program allows students to explore potential careers while they’re still in high school.
“These are students who are interested in exploring careers, especially in trades and skilled trades and training,” he said during a break in the session. “They realize that the market is there for them and they realize the time is right and the jobs are opening up. With the boomers retiring, they’re getting the message that the tradespeople really want to attract bright, young energetic students.”
Letting students know what options are open to them is important so they can make informed choices about decisions which may incuded whether to remain in Cape Breton.
The key is to let them know the opportunities are here and there are people who will not only encourage them to stay but also provide them with the training and the supports they need to make that transition into the work world in cape Breton,” Kehoe said.
Colleen MacDougal, a Grade 11 student who attends Memorial High in Sydney Mines, said she hasn’t made any decisions about her future yet, but is inclined to working with children, possibly as a teacher. But she added she welcomed the chance to explore other career options.
“It’s a big decision,” she said. “It’s crazy, it’s coming up so fast.”
While she may leave Cape Breton while she pursues her education, MacDougall said she wants to bring the skills that she develops back home.
Students took part in several exercises during the day, starting off with building a structure out of straws intended to show whether they could work together. Later, they were given sheets with questions and asked to go from exhibitor to exhibitor, asking questions about the work that they do.
“What we’re doing now is taking track of your future by asking these people questions about what they do,” said Tuisha Sylliboy, a Grade 10 student from Eskasoni, who added she is interested in possibly pusuing legal studies.
“It’s good because they have the questions laid out for you so you don’t have to think on the spot,” MacDouball added.
nking@cbpost.com
