The apprenticeship
Workers with disabilities in Canada have the legal right to equal treatment before and under the law (Ontario Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H. 19), thus having the legal authority to request for workplace accommodations and expecting to have these granted short of undue hardship, when and where deemed necessary. However, adults with disabilities are often found to have poor career development literacy, with lacklustre performance in workplace comprehension, negotiation, and participation in career planning programs (Hutchinson, Versnel, Chin, & Munby, 2008). Given this contemporary reality, elementary educators can take proactive steps to increase the career development literacies of students with disabilities, so that when these students enter the world of work they do so with more preparedness to communicate their needs for accommodations in the context of employer-employee relations.
For those students who have expressed interest in "hands-on" learning and have proficiency with problem-solving through use of gross motor skills, the pathway for apprenticeship may likely be an attractive option. Apprenticeships are formal training programs featuring a combination of classroom studies and workplace practicums or internships for those who want a career in the skilled trades (Employment Ontario, 2017). While youth apprenticeships in Ontario are available to full-time students who are at least 16 years of age (Employment Ontario, 2017), ...
... various organizations offer elementary students opportunities to build their overall career portfolio, while some further specialize in governance training, health and safety guidelines, and for-profit and nonprofit organizational leadership.
The CCOHS offers podcasts that can be resourced to aid classroom inquiries into workplace hazards and safety. Autobiographies, safety tips, and case studies can inform students about what to expect in the skilled trades and how to successfully negotiate for accommodations to ensure for workplace health and safety for all.
Youth Connect is a government-sponsored organization that provides youth with opportunities to explore work, volunteering, and service learning programs through the support of youth outreach workers, as well as connect with mentors in various skilled-trades fields.
As an elementary occasional educator in the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB), there are several ways I can utilize workplace training related to the skilled trades for my students. The Ontario Ministry of Education offers a tip-sheet featuring short-term, medium-term, and long-term activities that can be resourced to guide short-term and long-range curricular planning (School-to-Work Opportunities, 2013). The Ontario Government (2015) recently released a report on the state of the labour force detailing, among other things, how specific educational programs and services are integral to the development of career consciousness and workplace literacies for the skilled trades. Drawing upon key labour market data, stakeholder perspectives, and documentation on best practices within Ontario, nationally, and around the world, the Expert Panel suggested that "successful experiential learning programs provide value for the employer as well as the worker and provide individuals with opportunities to solve problems and work in interdisciplinary teams." These programs, furthermore, "play[s] a valuable role in helping individuals make decisions about future careers and employment pathways" (Expert Panel, 2016, p. 25).
Expert Panel concluded that:
A highly skilled workforce is central to the strength and prosperity of Ontario, now and in the future. The Panel believes the recommendations made in this report will materially assist Ontario and its workforce achieve what is required in these fast moving, globally competitive, technologically-driven times. The Panel calls upon all parties to work together on this critically important challenge. While the urgency is real, the opportunity is great. Collaboration, creativity and commitment should be the order of the day (Building the Workforce of Tomorrow: A Shared Responsibility, 2016, p. 44).
The current Ontario Ombudsman, Paul Dube, recently released his 2016-17 Annual Report (2017) detailing his perspective on Education: Provincial Ministries and Programs. In it, he outlines some concerns related to the Ontario College of Trades:
"Our Office received 20 complaints about the College of Trades’ increase in registration fees, as well as delays in receiving the results of trade certification examinations. Most of these complaints were resolved through informal referral to the college’s staff or complaint process" (Ombudsman Ontario, 2017, p. 41).
While such concerns like an increase in regulatory membership fees for the Ontario College of Trades do play a role in the struggle for (re-)certification among skilled-trade professionals, the cost is, by comparison, parity to other provincial regulatory bodies, as outlined in Ontario Regulatory Bodies Membership Fees (2017).
Despite these concerns, educators can nevertheless serve a facilitator role in preparing students to enter the world of the skilled trades. In one news article published in the United States, Joseph Madaus from the Neag School of Education (2017) points out that the majority of students with disabilities in the US do not disclose a need for accommodations in post-secondary education even though federal legislation exists to support these students and can legally advance their requests.
London, Ontario hosts several organizations, programs, and services that support the development of the skilled trades, some of which are listed below:
Educators can facilitate the development of student voice and perspective through a number of initiatives, including the student-as-researchers: this in-the-field collaborative research program offers students applied training in quantitative and qualitative research methods while pursuing research question(s) of their choice. For example, "What kind of curricula do skilled tradespeople believe would be helpful for elementary students to experience, so that these students can imagine and be reasonably expected to pursue a potential career in the skilled trades?" "What knowledge, skills, and values should elementary teachers possess to facilitate student preparedness for the skilled trades?" Students may then collect relevant data through use of surveys, questionnaires, interviews, field studies, and experiments to answer their question(s).
A casework can be assigned to offer enhanced support to those who experience struggle in finding suitable employment in their skilled-trade field of choice. Some programs include Intensive Case Management, Learning/Earning/and Parenting (LEAP), and Self-Employment.
With a mission to enhance the credibility and accountability of the nonprofit sector, Pillar welcomes the public to participate in workshops, learning programs, events, social clubs, and online training modules, some of which can further assist in the development of apprenticeship preparedness among elementary students.
As an agency devoted to linking clients with employers, Pathways offers a range of programs and services that can prepare elementary students for the skilled trades: employment preparation services, skills training, and practicums or internships.