Consulab Partners with Skills/Comp?tences Canada to Promote Careers in Trades

One of ConsuLab's fundamental beliefs aligns perfectly with SCC. Every product manufactured has educational value and every product assembled by our skilled tradespeople is done so with a purposeful educational outcome. Both educators and students are the driving force behind every ConsuLab product. This year, as since 1999, ConsuLab volunteers time and products in support SCC, not because we benefit, but because it's the right thing to do. ConsuLab gets involved because we believe in SCC.

Watching students compete at test stations on some of our trainers confirms a core principle of our company. ConsuLab strives to facilitate the work of educators teaching technology and developing and educating the next generation of automotive technicians. Thank you for allowing us to participate and support trades in Canada!

Contributed by: Consulab 

In-House Solutions is proud to be a long-term supplier for the 2015 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) being held May 27-30 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Dedicated to educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders in manufacturing, engineering and robotics, In-House Solutions has been a supporter of skills competitions across Canada for the past 15 years.

Specializing in CAD/CAM, DNC, PCMM and robotic programming software solutions, the company is committed to providing educational and hands-on opportunities to the leaders of tomorrow. They recently developed an innovative Applied CNC STEM Activities curriculum for educators and offer co-op placements to post-secondary students looking for real-life experience in robotics and manufacturing. Their Mastercam Educational Suite, based on the world's No. 1-ranked CAM system, is a comprehensive package that contains everything students need to learn about machining methods.

In-House Solutions is thrilled to support the efforts of Skills/Comp?tences Canada by volunteering to judge and assist during special events, and by providing Mastercam software and laptops to students participating in CAM and CNC competitions.

The software solutions company is the OEM supplier of Mastercam in Canada and the creator of OCTOPUZ, which combines the offline programming of robots with a manufacturing process simulation.

Contributed by: In-House Solutions

Bringing Skilled Trades to the Forefront

As over 500 students from across Canada gear up to take part in the 2015 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) one word comes to mind: passion.  It is the students' passion for skilled trades and technology, and their determination to seek rewarding careers that make TransCanada's Energy East Pipeline Project proud to sponsor SCNC 2015.

Highly-skilled tradespeople are a critical part of pipeline projects. The Energy East project will support around 14,000 full-time direct and indirect jobs across Canada in all lines of work - from welders to engineers. Through this sponsorship, we encourage and build the next generation of skilled Canadian workers.

Energy East is a 4,600-km oil pipeline project that will connect Western Canadian resources to Eastern refineries and port terminals. To build it, we need a skilled workforce that meets the high quality standards set by Canadian pipeline regulatory bodies and companies such as TransCanada.

Energy East, one of the biggest energy transport infrastructure projects ever planned in North America, will also generate local jobs along the pipeline's route. Through our sponsorship, we are proud to build awareness of these employment opportunities that support communities across our country.

For more information on the 2015 Skills Canada National Competition, visit www.SkillsCanada.com.

We look forward to seeing you at the event!

Contributed by: Energy East Pipeline Project l TransCanada

Harmonization of Red Seal Trades

What is this term that everyone is throwing around on the Red Seal Program? "Harmonization" is all over the media these days regarding Red Seal trades and the department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC - formerly HRSDC) is responsible for getting this done through the Red Seal Secretariat to help provide workers for industry.

Harmonization to ESDC is about having every provincial government office and college/training institution across Canada doing the same thing in every province/territory as far as delivery and administration of their Apprenticeship training programs and how they recognize certifications from other provinces and recognition of skills for people to challenge the Red Seal for any particular trade. In essence this was always the intent of the Red Seal program. What has happened over the past twenty years or so is that provinces and territories have strayed from the national program and developed their own models for certification and delivery of training. Every province/territory is responsible for their training and certification programs and they do it in twelve different ways to end up at the Red Seal standard. What ESDC is trying to do is a sincere attempt to fix the problems with the existing system that inhibits Canadians travelling to other jurisdictions looking for work whether they are Journeypersons or Apprentices. Click here to read more. 

Contributed by: UA

Jamie's Career Journey Into Construction Highlights the Importance of Education

Construction is in Jamie Lesperance's blood. At a young age he began tinkering with various projects.  

"I remember a six-foot-tall dollhouse that my dad built for my sister," said Jamie. "I was intrigued by it and would always pretend that I was making repairs to it."

This fascination sparked what promises to be a lifelong career in the industry. But for someone who is now a construction professional with a lengthy list of credentials, Jamie initially had little interest in pursuing a formal education. 

"I worked for small construction firms throughout high school," Jamie reflected. "I just wanted to be out in the field getting my hands dirty."

Jamie's outlook on education changed when he entered PCL's apprenticeship program. He rapidly completed the hours needed to earn his Journeyperson Red Seal certification, and within ten years at PCL, had ascended the ranks from journeyperson to full-time superintendent.  

"There was always a goal for me to work towards," said Jamie. "I wanted to eventually become a superintendent and to be the person in charge."

Jamie reached his goal, and in the fall of 2014 became a Gold Seal certified superintendent.  

Contributed by: Jamie Lesperance, Superintendent, PCL.