Trades Awareness Day was held at Alexis Creek Elementary/Junior Secondary School on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
The full-day event was planned through joint collaboration between School District 27’s rural secondary program, Career Programs, and Alexis Creek School.
Grades 6-10 students from several rural public and band schools were invited to attend the event.
These schools all participate in the district’s Rural Secondary Program, an online program that links rural classrooms in a virtual environment to learn core academic courses.
Career Programs brought experts in welding, electrical and carpentry trades. In addition, two cooking experts from Alexis Creek joined the event.
During each of the four trade workshops, students learned about necessary skills and education and, through hands on learning, created take-home objects.
In the welding workshop, students made boot scrapers.
In the carpentry workshop, students made tool boxes.
In the electrical workshop, students made extension chords.
And, in the cooking workshop, students made bannock.
“It was amazing to see students engaged in hands-on learning all day,” said Shane Sliziak, principal of Alexis Creek Elementary/Junior Secondary School.
“They were extremely excited to have the opportunity to do things they don’t normally have the opportunity to do, such as welding.
“It is the hope of the organizers that the event planted some seeds about careers in trades.”
Sliziak said because of the school’s distance to an urban centre, most students have limited exposure to programs that kids in town have access to.
“Having Career Programs come to us was a highly-valuable experience that our students will not forget.”