In what is its largest offering since the program was launched, Skills Ontario is hosting 31 Trades and Tech summer camps in July and August.
Geared to children entering Grades 7 to 9, the one-week-long camps are comprised of a number of hands-on industrial, construction, motive power, service and technology sector workshops.
Held throughout the province, the camps are sponsored with the support of industry partners and community colleges.
The first camp started on July 7 and the last one will run Aug. 25 to 29.
Some of the camp locations include Sheridan College in Brampton, Humber Polytechnic in Etobicoke, Linamar Corporation in Guelph, St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Georgian College in Midland, LIUNA Local 1059 in London, and Collège La Cité in Ottawa.
“All camp schedules can vary depending on the college or training agency partner we work with. Typically these include a variety of trades and tech-related content. Some popular workshops include welding, automotive, culinary and construction,” says CEO Ian Howcroft.
This summer two new workshops are being offered: One is Making Your Own Pizza, which is directly related to a possible career in the culinary arts.
The second course is Build a Birdhouse, which is an introduction to a possible career in carpentry and related careers.
“The campers also get to build something they can take home to share with their families.”
Not only are more camps and workshops been offered this summer, the program has been expanded to include a new all-girls camp in the Windsor area in partnership with St. Clair College and the Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc.
To be held at the college’s main campus, it will run from July 28 to Aug. 1.
Skills Ontario is sponsoring that camp as part of its mission to provide skills development and mentorship opportunities for young women, says Howcroft.
Thanks to a grant from the province’s Skills Development Fund, the agency has added to its Trades and Truck mobile units and three of those trucks will be rotated throughout the province compared to just one last year.
The trucks feature an array of training simulators and welding, auto painting, electrical, hairstyling and other activity stations that youths can test out.
Each camp has a robust schedule planned that will provide opportunities to learn new skills and provide a window into different skilled trades, says Howcroft.
A Skills Ontario employee manages the overall program and each camp is administered by onsite personnel who function in an assisting role. But the camps would not be possible without the support of college and industry instructors who teach the courses and the colleges that provide the venues and the equipment the students use, he says.
In addition to the 31 summer camps, Skills Ontario is also sponsoring four camps targeted for First Nations, Metis and Inuit youth in partnership with Indigenous communities and the provincial government. The camps will be held at Six Nations, Pembroke, Renfrew and Garden River.
Each camp will offer different activities. For example, the Six Nations camp will provide youth with opportunities to explore plumbing, electrical and carpentry careers through hands-on activities, says Howcroft.
At this point, more than 500 youths have registered for the trades and tech summer camps. Registration for some camps has passed, but there are some spots left.
Registration for individual camps closes the Thursday before the start dates. For more information visit: skillsontario.com/camp.
