Pilot Projects
The UA Piping Industry College of BC (UAPICBC), funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), has developed distinct pilot training programs for pre-apprentices, apprentices, journeypersons, and supervisors. Under the Essential Skills for Piping project, the Foundation and Flexible Welding pilot courses were delivered in 2011. The Journeyperson and Supervisors course, geared to the piping trade, is to be delivered in the spring of 2012.
Foundation Program
This 18-week course is designed to get you started in an apprenticeship, without any trades experience and without securing an employer to sponsor you. It provides you with a strong grounding in the knowledge and skills needed for your trade, including six weeks of Essential Skills training and credit for Level One technical training.
Flexible Welding Training Program
This innovative new six-month training program for Level “C” Welding will revolutionize the way apprentices learn. It includes two months of online theory and four months of in-shop practical training. By incorporating six weeks of Essential Skills preparation, participants in the Flexible Welding Training Program will learn how to effectively process and retain information by using auditory and visual learning tools through the use of computers, thousands of photographs, and hours of videos. This information sheet will provide you with more information on the program or go to the UAPICBC School website for course details: by clicking here.
Women in Trades
Currently, less than 4% of Red Seal tradespersons in Canada are female, so for diversity, Piping Opportunities for Women was created by the Industrial Training Authority (ITA). The six-week non-certificate course includes one week of Essential Skills training and has been successfully run several times over the past three years. Approximately half of the students who complete the course go on to a certificate apprenticeship in piping. The UAPICBC School website has more details.
Train the Trainer
The UAPICBC’s Train the Trainer program delivers recent developments in learning and training theory, as well as core concepts in traditional learning and training theory. This course is designed for the teaching assistants in the Aboriginal Training Initiative in Kitimat. It will equip the teaching assistants with the knowledge and ability to teach students according to their specific learning styles.
Introduction to Construction (ITC)
The ITC program is a 10-week course that includes two weeks of Essential Skills training. The UAPICBC has offered this course in Kitimat through the Kitimat Valley Institute. It has been a very successful program and has included men and women interested in getting into the building trades.
Provide Feedback
A survey was performed to receive feedback on our pilot projects. This is the letter asking apprentices, journeypersons, suppliers, and employers to fill out our survey and provide us with valuable feedback on our pilot projects. These surveys are very important in assessing the needs of our industry, are used to determine the direction of our pilot projects, and inform the recommendations of our steering committee, comprised of journey persons, contractors, employers and educators. We are continuing to gather this feedback, so please take the time to fill out the Employers/Stakeholders or Apprentices survey by downloading the corresponding PDF, and give us your opinion on the literacy and Essential Skills effectiveness.
