College’s electrical program lauded

The new Pre-Apprenticeship Electrical program at Confederation College campus in Fort Frances is going well since starting May 1.
In fact, local campus manager Mike Cameron said the students are very excited about it.
“The purpose of the program is to help students gain the academic preparedness for the Electrical Apprenticeship Program,” Cameron noted.
Although there are several parts to the program, “there is a heavy emphasize on math, as well as communication and computer skills,” he added.
The 28-week program has three main components: 12 weeks of academic pre-apprenticeship trade readiness classes, eight weeks of electrical curriculum, and eight weeks of job placement.
The region was awarded 36 seats for the program, 12 of which were given to the campus in Fort Frances.
Ten of those seats were filled, with the other two passed on to Kenora and Dryden, which were able to fill them immediately.
Cameron said the students, now into their third week of classes, are excited to get to the electrical component of the program.
The minimum requirement to get into the program is completion of Grade 12 or a GED. After applying to the program, students then had a personal interview with a panel of people in the industry.
At the end of the program, students earn their Electrical Level One, which can be applied to Level One of their apprenticeship.
Cameron said students hope to do well on their job placements in order that it might become an electrical apprenticeship placement. That is a five-year program.
Cameron said the college only will run one session of the Pre-Apprenticeship Electrical program. It is hoping the program following this one will be Aboriginal Women in Trades.