Apprenticeship Manitoba

AwArds honour 'deAn's List' of trAdes By Holli Moncrieff For the Free Press Apprenticeship MAnitobA is All About pAying it forwArd. the Apprentices of todAy will becoMe the Mentors of toMorrow. T he top apprentices of 2013 were honoured at the Highest Achievement Awards and Reception on April 24. "Our award recipients can be best compared to the graduating class of 2013. The people we're honouring are the top 40 — you can almost say it's the Dean's List of the trades. They're the highest achievers," said Alisa Ramrattan, executive director of Apprenticeship Manitoba. "It's our way of recognizing apprentice- ship and skilled trades. These awards honour not only the appren- tices, but also recognize the contributions of the employers." Apprenticeship Manitoba and the Apprenticeship and Certification Board honour the highest achieving apprentice graduates in each designated trade every spring. This event also recognizes the highest-achieving skilled worker and the significant contributions that employers make to the success of the newly- certified graduates. "We want to make an effort to recognize the contributions of employers and labour organizations, which are vital to the suc- cess of the apprenticeship program," Ramrattan explained. "The program wouldn't be possible without the work experience and support from employers." A few trades qualifiers will also receive awards at the event, she said. "We have all sorts of other trades where people don't need to be certified. After they've worked in the trade for a number of years, they can challenge the exam and receive their certification or Red Seal." Apprenticeship consists of approximately 80 per cent on-the-job training and 20 per cent in-school learning, leading to certification in over 50 skilled trades. The success of an apprentice hinges on the positive support of the employing company and the constant mentorship and inspiration received from both the journeyperson and the apprentice's instructor. Apprenticeship training was a response to veterans returning home after the Second World War, Ramrattan said. "The government knew they had to do something to get the veterans the skills and training they needed to enter into high- paying jobs," she explained. "The apprenticeship-training system is industry driven. It's based on labour-market needs, not on government decisions." Apprenticeship training programs will continue to grow in im- portance as Canada faces a labour shortage in the future, Ramrat- tan said. "We recognize that in today's labour market and economy, we will need to grow our skilled workforce by 75,000 once we reach the year 2020. This government is pursuing legislation that would make it mandatory for contractors engaged in public works to sup- port apprenticeship training." "We're also seeing growth in the amount of manufacturing hap- pening in the province. These jobs are going to require the skills Apprenticeship Manitoba supports," she said. "We're making a con- siderable effort to ensure young people have access to skills training, and an awareness of what the trades offer as a good career." There are over 10,000 apprentices currently working in Manitoba. "Not only are these stimulating jobs if you like to be active and stay busy — they're well-paying jobs. Young people can be paid well right from the start, with the opportunity to start their own businesses and be entrepreneurs," said Ramrattan. "In terms of the level of satisfaction, there's a sense of enthusiasm and pride among the trades that I don't see demonstrated across the entire workforce consistently." The top 10 apprentices and their employers attended a special ceremony at the Legislature on April 24, where Theresa Oswald, Minister of Jobs and Economy, presented the award-winners with a limited-edition sculpture and a certificate of recognition. This was followed by an informal reception at 5 p.m. for all top 40 apprentices and their employers. "I'd like to say congratulations to our winners. You are not only the future of our skilled workforce; you'll be the mentors for tomor- row's as well. Apprentices are signing up to be the trainers of the future," Ramrattan said. "It's very much a pay-it-forward system. Apprentices are contributing to our future skilled workforce." This year marks the 70th anniversary of apprenticeship training and certification in Manitoba. ❚❙ For more information, see their website at manitoba.ca/tradecareers Apprenticeship Manitoba highest Achievement AwArds 2014 Scott BaraScHuk crAne And hoisting equipMent operAtor - Mobile, sterling crAne "i stArted working At wiLLm's crAning Ltd. in 2010 where i hAd enroLLed in the Apprenticeship progrAm. in August 2012, i moved to sterLing crAne where i compLeted the progrAm. At wiLLm's crAning i fiLLed vArious roLes between mAchinery moving, rigging And hoisting. At sterLing crAne i concentrAted mAinLy on hoisting operAtions And gAining experience with LArger mobiLe And ALL- terrAin crAnes. LAst november, i moved into the office of sterLing crAne As crAne And rigging supervisor. i continue to expAnd my knowLedge And expertise with the hoisting trAde. crAne And hoisting equipment operAtor is interesting becAuse everydAy is something compLeteLy different. whether you're hoisting the sAme equipment At different LocAtions or different equipment At the sAme LocAtion, it's ALwAys chAnging. i get to experience A wide vAriety of crAnes, ALL with different cApAbiLities And feAtures. sterLing crAne ALso provides countLess opportunities to expAnd my cAreer further whiLe stiLL being immersed in the hoisting trAde."

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