The Avon Maitland District School Board is expanding opportunities for students interested in skilled trades.
“DCVI was awarded the SHSM, Specialist High Skills Major, starting in September. It will focus on a number of careers that support the manufacturing sector,” said Pathways Coordinator, Jeff Piro.
Piro says the Board recognizes that employers throughout Huron and Perth are looking for employees to fill the jobs they have and the Board has created a Pathways Advisory Board that includes community partners with a goal of addressing the current labour shortage.
“We're excited about the opportunities it will now bring kids to engage a little bit deeper in this sector and show the kids what is available, everything from robotics and controls to more traditional manufacturing processes such as welding and sheet metal,” added Piro.
Currently, all eight Avon Maitland District School Board secondary schools offer Specialist High Skills Majors for a total of 30 programs that represent 12 industry sectors, with the program in St. Marys scheduled to start in September.
The new program comes on the heels of the recent partnership between AMDSB and Fanshawe College which expanded the Dual Credit options.
As they head into the new school year they're looking to continue to expand their Dual Credit partnerships with their college partners from Lambton, Conestoga and Fanshawe.
