Developing the workforce of tomorrow
Algonquin College helps to meet Canada’s growing demand for skilled tradespeople and specialist artisans. supplied
Quentin Navarre knew virtually nothing about woodworking when he enrolled in the two-year Heritage Carpentry and Joinery diploma program at Algonquin College nine years ago. Today, he and his wife Amy Webster, a fellow Algonquin graduate, have their own business – Wildwood Designs – in Perth, Ont., specializing in high-end architectural millwork and hand-crafted furniture.
“I graduated from university with a bachelor’s in environmental studies, but it wasn’t really for me,” says Mr. Navarre. “I’ve always wanted to work with my hands and saw woodworking as an option. I decided to move back from where I was living in France to do the program back in Canada [at Algonquin College] and fell in love with it.”
It’s the type of story Chris Hahn, dean of the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE) in Ottawa and the college’s Heritage Institute in Perth, likes to hear.
With programs ranging from three-week courses to four-year bachelor’s degrees, the college is firmly committed to helping meet Canada’s growing demand for skilled tradespeople, specialist artisans like Mr. Navarre and Ms. Webster, and graduates in building science and building conservation.
“The high-quality vocational training provided by Algonquin College and other colleges and polytechnic institutes is essential to the future of both Ontario’s and Canada’s workforce,” says Mr. Hahn. “The combination of short-duration credentials, co-op study, apprenticeship programs and industry-demanded programming make learning at Algonquin College an unbeatable option for young trades practitioners.”
He says one of the most frequent complaints he hears from employers is that it’s difficult to find people and even more difficult to find those with basic skills and training. That’s where Algonquin College comes in.
“Our short-duration credentials require less time and financial commitment from students while offering world-class technical education, factors that are attractive both for young students hoping to hit the ground running or mid-career workers looking for a new adventure,” says Mr. Hahn.
He points out that programs like cabinetmaking and furniture technician, building construction technician, and welding and fabrication techniques can all be completed in just 42 weeks of on-campus study. Additionally, the in-school training component of many apprenticeship programs can be completed in 24 weeks or less, and the various opportunities for full-and part-time online study offer even more options for learners.
Mr. Navarre says the quality of the instructors was the most pleasant surprise during his program.
“They are very passionate, down-to-earth people with an immense wealth of knowledge,” he says. “When I started woodworking, I had no idea how to season lumber, how it was processed and how to use the tools to construct furniture and create millwork, but that’s now my job.”
Mr. Navarre and Ms. Webster are also now sharing the knowledge they gained at Algonquin College through woodworking workshops, including a women’s power tool workshop led by Ms. Webster that had 120 participants over the course of last winter.
Making trades more accessible to women and other equity-deserving groups is part of Algonquin College’s effort to develop Canada’s workforce of tomorrow. The “We Saved You a Seat” program is a multifaceted initiative developed to increase the number of women attending the college’s trades and trades-adjacent tech programs. It incorporates a women-led mentorship program, specialized opportunities for financial aid and the reservation of up to 30 per cent of seats for women in applicable programs.
“We are actively trying to recruit more women and more people from other countries and other jurisdictions to increase diversity and make sure our pipeline is not just supporting a monochromatic uniform sort of individual,” says Mr. Hahn.
For more information, visit algonquincollege.com/acce/
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