MOOSE JAW — Students at Phoenix Academy recently had the opportunity to try out various trade programs through Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA), including using an excavator to dig a hole — virtually.
Mandy Derr, an SYA consultant, brought a virtual reality (VR) headset to the school and let the youths experience what it’s like being a heavy-duty machine operator. With the VR device over their eyes, the students used two handheld joysticks to dig, drive and answer a phone call from their virtual boss.
Other programs students could access included plant geneticist, medical lab technician, sheet metal worker, robotics technician, pipe fitter, crane operator and aquaculture technician.
Derr brought the VR program to Phoenix Academy because she had visited the school a month earlier to talk about the trades, SYA’s programs, employment opportunities and career advancement, explained teacher Christa Lapointe.
“Skilled trades are in demand, and it’s a skill set that will carry these kids wherever they want to go across Canada, so it’s always important to get exposure to different career options,” she said.
Der mentioned the VR headset and its capabilities during her first visit, which was exciting since today’s youths are technologically savvy and have used virtual reality elsewhere, Lapointe continued. So, letting them use this technology to test different trades and hopefully spark an interest in their future employment was neat.
Phoenix students will go hands-on with certain trades soon, as Lapointe plans to take the students to Regina next month to work with a bricklayers’ union, where they will help build a wall. She also plans to arrange a trip for students interested in hairstyling.
Lapointe noted that these experiential, hands-on activities connect students’ interests with a meaningful education that hopefully guides where they want to go in life.
“The more variety you can give students, the better,” she added.
Almer was the first student to slip on the VR headset and thought it was a cool experience since it was almost like operating an excavator. Furthermore, he appreciated how the program’s artificial intelligence guided him and offered tips on how to manage the machine.
The student is interested in going into the trades since most make good money. Moreover, he likes some programs, such as being a heavy-equipment operator, because workers are prohibited from drinking or smoking, which he appreciates.
“Staying sober is important in some trades, which is amazing,” he remarked, noting he wants to go into plumbing since he enjoys working on pipes.
Almer added that using VR to demonstrate the trades was a better option than watching a video since its hands-on focus could convince youths to consider a program.
Ayden, a Grade 11 student, also thought the trades were an exciting industry since some programs did not require students to pay tuition. Instead, they allow youths to learn and then put that knowledge to work during internships or work terms.
“Me personally, I’m going to university to become a chemical engineer because I think that’s really interesting to me,” he said. “But trades are a way that people can get a really cool job that pays well without … worrying about how they’ll pay for university.”
The youth thought using VR to try some trades before committing to any of them or a post-secondary institution was a great experience; he had used this technology before but not to operate a construction vehicle.
Students who register with SYA are expected to complete 12 challenges of varying difficulties — like interviewing a journeyman — over three different levels before they complete high school, said Derr, who noted that over 300 youths are registered across Saskatchewan.
Once students complete the three levels and register as apprentices in a designated trade within five years, they will receive a registration fee waiver, their first level of technical training tuition for free, and 300 hours of trade-time credit, she added.
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