Cabinetmaker Apprenticeship - Southern Alberta Institute of TechnologyCabinetmaking Education in CanadaCarpentry and Woodworking Programs -- Community College Programs
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Cabinetmaker Apprenticeship - Southern Alberta Institute of Technology What is an apprenticeship? An apprenticeship is a method of learning a trade through a combination of periods of in-class, technical/theoretical education and periods of paid, on-the-job training. During the latter portions of an apprenticeship, the student (apprentice) will work, in an indentured capacity, under the direction of a certified, journeyperson member of the trade one is learning, for a specific period of time. A journeyperson is an individual who has earned the standards of practice of his/her trade. In Alberta, apprenticeship programs are under the authority of Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT). Completing a cabinetmaking apprenticeship, both in-class and on-the-job components, normally takes about 4 years. About 80 to 85 percent of an apprenticeship is comprised of experiential learning. The wage an apprentice earns depends on various factors such as education/training, experience, and economic aspects like supply and demand. An apprentice can, however, start at about 40 to 50 percent of what a journeyperson would earn in the trade being learned, and increasing with each progression in the various stages of the apprenticeship. The advantage of completing an apprenticeship is not only that one acquires in-depth knowledge and skills in a trade but also that, within the latter, one's career opportunities and salary potential are normally increased. Furthermore, once an individual has obtained journeyperson status, he/she may be eligible to have his/her certification as such endorsed by the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program (Red Seal). The latter enables the journeyperson to practice his/her trade throughout Canada, provided the trade is designated in that locale, without undergoing further examinations. How does one become an apprentice? In Alberta, to be eligible for the cabinetmaking apprenticeship program, applicants are required to have successfully completed at least Grade 11, including Math 20 or 23 or Applied or Pure Math 20, or equivalent, 'or pass an entrance exam.' Furthermore, the candidate must be employed with a certified (journeyperson) employer of the cabinetmaking trade who is willing to sign an apprenticeship contract. The responsibility for finding an employer ultimately rests with the person wanting to be apprenticed. However, the Alberta government may be able to provide services that can help interested persons acquire employment, or at least increase their employability credentials. Moreover, individuals can complete a relevant program at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) or another post-secondary institution prior to pursuing an apprenticeship. SAIT, for example, offers the 12-week Pre-employment Cabinetmaker program, which equips students with all the 'course material received by a first year cabinetmaker apprentice, plus additional hands-on skills and safety training on an actual jobsite.' The advantage of completing a relevant program and/or training before seeking to be apprenticed is that the graduate often finds favour with potential employers because he/she has obtained the skills required to become immediately productive on the job, and thus may find sponsorship easier to come by. Moreover, a person who possesses previous education, training, and/or work experience in the trade in which he/she wants to be apprenticed may be eligible to receive time credits towards the apprenticeship program and/or may be able to challenge the latter's technical training portion. Before an individual can be officially indentured, he/she and his/her employer must officially register with AIT. To begin the registration process, the student, once he/she has found an employer willing to train him/her, must contact the nearest AIT office. The latter may request an interview with the employer and/or apprentice prior to approving the apprenticeship. During the interview, the qualifications and suitability of the employer and goals of the apprenticeship, among other things, will be determined and finalized. The employer and apprentice must sign an official agreement detailing the apprenticeship, such as its objectives, course, and rules, among other things. Once the apprenticeship has been finalized, the apprentice may proceed to apply to SAIT's Cabinetmaker Apprenticeship program for the in-class, technical/theoretical aspects of the apprenticeship.
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