Members of LiUNA Local 1089 visited St. Matthew Catholic School in Sarnia Wednesday to teach Grade 7/8 students about life in the trades.
Staff from the labour union took students through a series of hands-on activities, such as cement finishing and surveying.
LiUNA Training Director Chad Hogan said they want students to know that the trades are a possible career option.
"So the purpose of the initiative is to give kids an understanding of what are skilled trades -- who are we, what do we do, how do you get into the skilled trades, and let them know it's a viable option outside of Grade 12," said Hogan. "We're not saying the trades is for everybody, but we are saying that we are a viable option. We haven't really been on the stage and in the spotlight as much as college and university, so we've been working with the school boards to change that, that we are a viable pathway after Grade 12."
Hogan said over the next decade, around one million trades workers will be needed to fill jobs across Canada.
He said there's plenty of opportunities locally in all 13 trade sectors.
"We're building plant after plant [in Sarnia-Lambton] and NOVA is going on right now, there's talks if that goes on that they're going to build another one, TransAlta is talking about that. So it's a boom area right now in Sarnia-Lambton for sure, BioAmber have happened, there's green energy, there's a lot of different thing that all rely on the trades," said Hogan. "It's a really viable option now for our children that don't want to go live in Toronto or London, there's a viable option for them to stay here and work here and live here and raise their families here because there are jobs here."
Hogan said this is the first time the labour union has gone to an elementary school in Canada.
He said it's important students hear their message before it's too late.
"So if you get into the trades, you're going to be earning and learning and working and being safe in the field. You're going to make some money, you're going to go to a college, whether it's LiUNA Training Centre or community college and you get to experience all of that. So kind of the message is if you don't know what you want to do at 17 or 18, maybe jump into the trades," he said.
Hogan said they plan to expand this pilot project to 13 other schools in the St. Clair Catholic District School Board, as well as schools in Lambton Kent District School Board and the local French boards.
St. Clair Superintendent of Education Scott Johnson said they've been working with LiUNA for about three years in order to bring something more to students.
"Teachers by and large have university degree backgrounds, and so we wanted to really leverage community partners to speak to the students about opportunities in technology and the trades, which is a renewed focus in the ministry and within our school board," said Johnson. "What we want to do is make sure that students start thinking very young about an opportunity for life in the trades that they may have never considered, and as well helping their parents understand that it's not the dirty job that people thought it was, it's, in fact, a very dignified, rewarding, well-paying job, especially right here in Sarnia."
Johnson said they want their students to have this information before heading off to high school.
"It's key that we chose Grade 7 and 8 students because we want them to think about choosing technology courses in high school as early as Grade 9, and if we don't plant the seeds right now, our fear is that they're going to choose other electives and literally write-off the trades as an opportunity, unless they start thinking earlier," he said.
Johnson said the school board's new strategic plan focuses on areas of experiential learning and community partnership, which he said fits in perfectly with Wednesday's event.
