Canada needs skilled tradespeople!
There is an anticipated need for more than 222,000 Red Seal-certified tradespeople nationwide between now and 2028, according to Employment and Social Development Canada. One way to fill that growing occupational need is to teach young people that the trades can be a fulfilling, lucrative career option.
However, when introducing trades concepts to students at a recent carpentry collaboration between three local elementary schools and Fredericton High School (FHS) trades students, organizers dialed down the occupational urgency, and led with the fun.
On Thursday, April 17, FHS hosted roughly 100 students from the Connaught Street, Liverpool Street, and Montgomery Street elementary schools at an intergenerational skilled trades activity designed to expose kids to the trades, specifically carpentry.
The event was organized by the provincial department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Centre of Excellence for Skilled Trades and Manufacturing, and MAP Strategic Workforce Services Inc (MAPSWS). Both organizations enlisted the help of FHS Grade 11 and 12 students in technology teacher Daryl Tapley’ s Mill and Cabinet course.
Skilled tradespeople from MAPSWS were also on hand to provide support.
“I liked that we could do this fun activity with our friends,” said Liverpool Street Elementary Grade 5 student Eden Waters.
The activity saw the FHS students helping the elementary school kids safely use hammers, glue guns, markers, nails, and wood to create a “personal porcupine” or “personal hedgehog”—both similar, but different, animals—they could take home.
“There’s two things we love them to discover: the basic things in carpentry, like hammering, and getting them excited about building things,” said Helene Savoie, director of MAPS Strategic Workforce Services “The other part of this is them taking a project home and showing their parents that they did a skilled trade activity, so the parents also understand about skilled trades careers.”
Said another Liverpool Street Elementary Grade 5 student, Dorsa Choroomi, “My favorite part was hammering. I found it so satisfying, and I didn’t lose any fingers.”
Seventeen FHS Mill and Cabinet students compiled the materials kits for the younger students, consisting of wood blocks, nails, markers, and stick-on eyes: “We made 173 of these kits in an hour, plus cut pieces for another 600,” said Tapley. “Then my kids were assigned a table with five or six elementary kids where the idea was for them to be a mentor. They’ve done a fantastic job. I’m very proud of them.”
“My favorite part was hammering. I found it so satisfying, and I didn’t lose any fingers.”
Dorsa Choroomi, Grade 5, Liverpool Street Elementary School
The activity acted as an unofficial primer of sorts for Tapley’s class, which is a “project-based class with a lot of experiential learning. It’s meant for the kids to learn how to build with their hands, how to do stuff. So, we start off as if they know nothing [about carpentry].”
At their young ages, many of the elementary school students don’t know what careers they want yet. But the activity gave them some job ideas for when they’re older. And they appreciated the fun.
“My favorite part was probably making the hedgehog, glueing the face on,” said Liverpool Street Elementary School Grade 5 student Sophie Hanson.