New pilot program offers electrical training for high school students

Workshop at United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

The access to learning a skilled trade for high school students is expanding in the Windsor-Essex region. A press conference was held Thursday at United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America (Local 494), Old Castle, Ontario.

The Greater Essex County District School Board’s (GECDSB) enhanced construction program (ECP) will include the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

This new pilot program offers hands-on electrical training for pupils in a co-op format. Grade 11 students who are accepted to the IBEW program can earn credits toward their high school diploma next year while gaining valuable experience in the electrical trades.

The enhanced construction program includes trades such as general carpenter and drywall, acoustic and lathing applicator.

Since the 2020-2021 school years, 148 students have enrolled in ECP and 53 have received offers of employment from the union following the completion of their co-op program.

Graduates are currently progressing through their apprenticeship pathway.

Angelica Landgraff is an ECP co-op student and attends Walkerville High School in Windsor.

“This trade, I feel like it applies to any skill that you could have,” said Landgraff.

“If you are more academically minded - there’s a lot of math involved. If you’re a more hands on, it’s definitely hands on as well. And if you are more creative, you have to find creative ways to fix problems,” said Landgraff.

Gavin Kritzer, a 17-year-old student, is in the IBEW co-op program and already has employment lined up once he graduates from Erie Migration District Secondary School in Kingsville, Ontario.

“I was with Tucker Electric and then ended up working there last summer and got asked to go back,” said Kritzer.

“So, I applied for the same co-op, got in again - and I’ve been working with them ever since. I applied for the union March of this year and ended up getting in. So, I got my employment lined up for after high school.”

Prospective co-op students for trades programs in the community should apply early – space in the pilot program is limited.