New high school pilot project aims to help students fill skilled-labour gap
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A pilot project that equips high schoolers with the skills they need to start their own business begins this month amid a critical shortage of skilled labour in the region.
Announced in November, the Thames Valley District school board has been reviewing applications from individual students, as well as school clubs and entire classrooms, with a focus on those enrolled in co-op programs, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses, or a strong focus on skilled trades.
Last month new census data was released showing people entering the skilled trades was at an all-time low in 2021. As a trend, it has left just 10.2 per cent of London’s labour force having the credentials to work in the trades, compared to 16.1 per cent in 2006.
“We are all excited to be able to provide this opportunity for students to pursue their dreams and expose them to future entrepreneurial opportunities,” said Laura Briscoe, the board’s experiential learning co-ordinator.
“When students are motivated beyond marks, because of something that they are truly passionate about, the learning happens organically and becomes more relevant to the real world for the students.”
The aim of the program is to provide students, clubs and classes with an “entrepreneurial mindset,” she said.
“The hope would be that a student who may not have seen themselves as an entrepreneur would now have a foundation to move forward and pursue that as a potential career opportunity,” she said. “The goal is to develop a skill set of entrepreneurship — like negotiating, collaboration, communication.
“Then (they get) those extra connections with community partners to apply their knowledge and skills in a meaningful and relevant way.”
The community partners will be there to mentor the students throughout the pilot project.
“We really want to emphasize how students in trades such as construction, manufacturing, transportation can see themselves as entrepreneurs,” she said. “Many are part of specialized high school skills programs where they have selected to specialize in trades.”
Soon Briscoe will bring the students together virtually to discuss “next steps” in their involvement with the pilot project and be aligned with an appropriate industry partner, she said.
Schools can choose to continue their relationships with existing community partners or turn to new partnerships based on the students’ applications, Briscoe said.
Seed funding will be provided for the student or a group of students to start their business. After the program ends on June, 15, the students can go on to open a summer business or a permanent business once they graduate from high school, Briscoe said.
The initiative will wrap up with a virtual provincial showcase in the spring.
According to Education Ministry guidelines for the pilot, having an “entrepreneurial mindset” is essential for students in “today’s changing economy.”
The objective of the program is to “encourage schools to develop innovative initiatives for secondary students that promote entrepreneurship and foster collaboration with community and industry partners,” it said.
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