Myrna Shaw of Carlyle was honoured for her work with hundreds of high school students seeking careers in the trades at the 2014 Apprenticeship Awards Ceremony at Regina's Conexus Arts Centre on Oct. 24. Shaw, a career counsellor at five schools within the Â鶹ÊÓƵ East Cornerstone School Division, received the SYA (Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship Champion) Award, simply says, "I love my job. I love meeting the kids. I love working with the kids."
Shaw's 25-year career in education led her to career counselling a decade ago at what was then the Souris-Moose Mountain School Division. Now, as part of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ East Cornerstone School Division, her half-time position requires her to advise high school students from grades 10-12 at schools in Carlyle, Maryfield, Moosomin, Rocanville, and Wawota.
"I advise the kids to have a Plan A and a Plan B," says Shaw. "When I was growing up, the options [for me] were either to become a nurse or a teacher. Now, kids coming up will change jobs at least four times-and some of those jobs aren't even here yet."
"In grade 10, we start out with them doing an inventory of their personal interests. By the time they're in grade 12, it's mandatory. They have to sit there and listen to me," she laughs.
"Whatever their aspirations are, I work with them," Shaw says. "But I received this award because I'm all over the trades and the youth apprenticeship programs. If kids are even thinking of going through to learn a trade, there are tons of programs, opportunities and scholarships. Last year, three of our grade 12 students, Evan Anderson from Carlyle, Mac Kay from Maryfield, and Victor Heinrichs from Wawota, received trades scholarships."
Darcy Howe, vice-principal at Gordon F. Kells High School in Carlyle, says of Shaw: "She works very hard getting the kids into the Youth Apprenticeship Program and she's also helped set up the kids in the Apprenticeship Program. It's a great option, because kids can earn credits in school and get paid, while working towards a career. We're sitting here in the oil patch where trades are needed and Myrna's been instrumental in making kids aware of how they can get into the trades and into careers."
"It's very good that she's been pushing this."
Even though she's received provincial recognition for her work, Shaw says that her job is the real reward, and it continues to provide her with challenges and satisfaction.
"Right now, Saskatchewan is so busy, with so many new people. We are welcoming students from all over the world, and with that, we're helping them with their English-language skills, as well as the school and career counselling that we always do."
"It's never boring. I love my job, and it's great when a former student comes up to me and tells me that they're in a career they love."
