In an effort to ensure all students are successful, a new program has been launched at Chatelech Secondary School that allows struggling students to excel in off-campus training that translates to high school credits and well paying jobs.
The Survey of Trades program was launched this year thanks to $15,000 in grants and a partnership between the Chatelech community school, several local employers and Vital Training from Powell River.
The program was tailored to train up to 10 struggling students in grades 10 to 12 in occupational first aid, fall protection, boom and scissor lift operations and forklift operations, as tickets in those areas lead to higher paying jobs available on the Coast.
Students had to be at least 15 years old, not likely to attend college or university and in need of credits to graduate.
Seven young men were chosen for the program this year by Chatelech principal Mark Heidebrecht and vice principal Richard Biel.
“As we know, in high school only about 20 per cent of our population goes to university and Mark and I have a focus to service those 20 per cent, but we also want to focus on the 80 per cent that stay around on the Coast, that would like to stay on the Coast and have employment-ready skills and [want to] work towards graduation,” Biel said.
“This program just seemed like a win, win, win.”
The Survey of Trades program was modeled after a similar program that ran in 2014 to support First Nations students struggling with graduation requirements.
“It was hugely successful and resulted in the highest graduation rates for Sechelt Nation kids in the history of the Coast,” Biel said.
Seeing the success, Biel and Heidebrecht wanted to open the program to other students at Chatelech; however, funding was an issue.
Enter Sunshine Coast Community Foundation, Fortis BC, Telus, Sunshine Coast Credit Union and the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) with $15,000 of grants for the program.
“The funding they provided allowed us to hire instructors to provide the courses,” Biel noted.
Students were trained for three weeks in February and now they’re in the work experience portion of the course, where every 100 hours of volunteer work will gain them four high school credits.
Students are currently volunteering at places like Paul’s Paintin’ Place, the SCRD, Off the Edge, Rowland Brake and Muffler, Habitat for Humanity, Custom Carpet and Sechelt Plumbing.
Chatelech would like to tweak the program to include other areas for certification in the future, including early childhood education and health care attendant. Biel said the program’s continuation next year will depend, once again, on funding.
“We need $15,000 to run the program. That’s our break even,” Biel said, noting he’s currently looking for grants to support the endeavour next year. “We are pretty sure we can get the community partners we need, but money is our limiting factor.”
