Carpentry - Apprenticeship Levels 1 - 4 - Northwest Community CollegeCarpentry Education in CanadaCarpentry and Woodworking Programs -- Community College Programs
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Carpentry - Apprenticeship Levels 1 - 4 - Northwest Community College 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 Saskatchewan, apprenticeships are under the authority of Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (ATCC). Normally, to complete an apprenticeship will take 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? To be eligible for an apprenticeship program, applicants will must usually be 16 years of age or older and have completed Grade 10. Before a person can enter an apprenticeship program, he/she must find a qualified (journeyperson) employer willing to apprentice him/her. The responsibility for finding an employer ultimately rests with the person wanting to be apprenticed. However, the ATCC and/or Northlands College may provide assistance to qualified individuals obtain employment, or at least increase their respective employability credentials. For example, Northlands College advises students to complete a 30 - 40 week pre-employment trades program prior to actually pursuing an apprenticeship, such as Building Maintenance or Construction Laborer. The advantage of completing a relevant program 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 training and/or work experience in the trade in which he/she was 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 the ATCC. Upon receiving employment, the apprentice in-waiting should contact his/her nearest ATCC 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 approved, the apprentice may proceed to apply to Northlands College's Carpentry Level I - IV apprenticeship program, which is offered in partnership with Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, for the in-class, technical/theoretical aspects of the Program.
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