Sudbury's Cambrian College hosts skilled trades summer camps

Grades 7, 8 and 9 students in Sudbury are learning all about the skilled trades this week.

Hosted by Cambrian College, in partnership with Skills Ontario, 11 students are participating in the week-long Trades and Tech Summer Camp.

Angela Gilmore, interim chair of the School of Engineering, Technology and Environmental Studies at the college, said the camp is a way of addressing gaps in the industry.

"As we all know, there's some current gaps and ever-growing gaps in skill trades and engineering and technology," Gilmore said.

"So we definitely want to be doing our part to have them explore them as options as viable careers."

Shelley O'Rourke, program facilitator with Skills Ontario, said the camps show students what’s available to them aside from university.

"This is a really great age to kind of just get that interest in them before they head into high school,” O'Rourke said.

“There is a lot of information and university information in high school as opposed to the apprenticeships or college.”

Students learn skills in technology, construction and industrial sectors, including welding and carpentry.

Hosted by Cambrian College, in partnership with Skills Ontario, 11 students are participating in the week-long Trades and Tech Summer Camp. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News)

O'Rourke said Skills Ontario has operated the workshops for years, and there are currently roughly 30 throughout the province in July and August.

"We've always had great feedback, even sometimes the kids who maybe weren't so sure at the beginning," she said.

"They definitely have a few favourite trades that they like throughout the week, for sure."

Tyion, 12, said he will be able to help his dad with renovations around the house and hopes to one day be an underwater welder.

"Just learning new things that I didn't know. I like learning," he said.

"That's another reason why I came here."

Kendrick, 14, said learning trades are important.

"It's kind of what keeps us afloat. It's our foundation," he said.

"So we need those labour workers out there to sort of help everyone who's not doing labour work."

Out of the 11 students, four are female. O'Rourke said there has been improvement in getting more women in the trades, through the help of camps like this one.

"It's still a low percentage of women in the trades, but, having opportunities like this is a really great way because girls don't always get the exposure just around the household," she said.

Hosted by Cambrian College, in partnership with Skills Ontario, 11 students are participating in the week-long Trades and Tech Summer Camp. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News)

Introduction to the trades

"Boys are more likely to pick up tools and things like that. So it's a really nice way to introduce them, as well, and realize that these are some great careers for girls and women."

Chiamaka, 13, said she's enjoying learning new skills.

"The stuff we've done. I've never done it before, so it's really interesting to do new stuff," she said.

o    Download our app to get local alerts on your device

o    Get the latest local updates right to your inbox

And while Chiamaka said she wants to be a doctor someday, she said there are benefits to learning skilled trades.

"It teaches you how to use, like, tools, power tools, drills, saws, all that stuff. And so if we ever need to repair something or do it, you could just do it yourself."

Eleven-year-old Myla said she hopes to one day be a cook, and said she's learning skills will cut down on future costs.

"Maybe, like, when you have to learn how to do stuff, it can help you in the future. Like, you need to know how to change a tire. That would be good," she said.

"In case, like, you break down or you learn how to cook so you don't have to always order takeout or go to restaurants. Really just helping you save a lot of money."

Sault College in Sault Ste Marie will host the summer camp next week, followed by two locations in Timmins in August.