Why Try A Trade?
Try a Trade serves several purposes. First, it exposes elementary students to trades and what that feels like. Secondly, it allows grade 10 to 12 students to experience a trade in greater depth, as they are teaching it to the younger students. This experience often helps the “leaders” to see if they would like to apply for a Train and Trade program. The trades the students will experience are:
- Carpentry
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Drywall
- Concrete
- Mechanics
- Cooking
- Work safe practices
Structure of the day
The day starts out with the senior leaders arriving at 9am, learning and practicing the station, they are going to work at, and then greet the grade 7 students at 11. After a quick introduction and safety lesson, the students rotate through the different trade’s stations, with the emphasis on getting tools, such as hammers, cordless drills, soldering torch, wrenches, paint brushes, spreaders, in the hands of the students.