DAWSON CREEK – Supporters and participants of Trades and Apprenticeship programs in the Peace River South area were recognized on May 6 at a recognition evening hosted by School District 59 and Northern Lights College.
The event was hosted at NLC’s South Peace Campus, which houses the Heavy Duty Technician, Automotive Service Technician, Esthetics and Nail Care Technology, and Cosmetology/Hairstyling programs at NLC. Approximately 60 people attended.
Included in the evening were speeches by several high school students who are working as apprentices, recognition of local businesses and industries that support the trades and apprenticeship programs in the area, and the presentation of several bursaries and scholarships.
Rodger Hargreaves, lead for Youth Programs with the Industry Training Authority, complimented the efforts of everyone involved in offering the Secondary School Apprenticeship (SSA) program in northeastern B.C.
“You can go to other places in the province, but you are not going to get any better programs than you have here,” said Hargreaves.
SSA is a program for students in B.C. that allows them to begin an apprenticeship while still enrolled in secondary school. SSA students earn course credits that count towards their secondary school graduation.
Hargreaves was also on hand to present five SSA scholarships valued at $1,000 each. Recipients were: Trevor Christenson (Commercial Transport Technician), Justin McNalley (Heavy Duty Technician), Daniel Michetti (Sheet Metal), Braydon Potratz (Electrician) and Travis Torsti (Carpenter).
Spectra Energy awards, valued between $750 and $1,000, were also presented. The awards are sponsored by the Spectra Energy Endowment Fund, which supports the training of students from northeast B.C. registered in a Dual Credit trades program or apprenticeship. Glenn Auger, community coordinator for Spectra Energy, presented the awards.
Recipients were: Megan Biddulph and Ashton Fallon (Carpentry); Trevor Ethier, Cody Rylett and Cody Last (Electrician); Tyler Fisher, Nick Haase and Adam Haycock (Welding); Megan Gerstel, Lindsay Nichols and Lonni Southgate (Esthetics); Myles Laberge, Matthew Manson, and Matt Roth (Heavy Duty Technician); and Nick Pattie and Nathan Winland (Automotive Service Technician).
Other speakers included: • Jamie Maxwell of South Peace Secondary School, who coordinated the Peace Region Skills Canada competition; • Frances Armstrong, career programs manager at School District 59, who talked about the importance of local business support in providing opportunities for the students; • Jeff Lekstrom, dean of Trades and Apprenticeship at NLC, who reminded the audience that this area has the most Dual Credit programs of any school district in B.C.; and • Jeff Beale, chair of the Northern Opportunities Community Learning Council, who spoke about the collaboration between industry, Aboriginal organizations, and secondary and post-secondary institutions to enhance opportunities for students to succeed in high school and build careers in the north.
For more information on trades and apprenticeship programs, contact the College at 250-782-5251 or School District 59 at 250-782-8571.