Education

Winnipeg Free press - saturDaY, December 6, 2014 3 Ialwayswanted totravel.Now Iseetheworld ontheplanes Ihelpedbuild. Visit: apprenticemanitoba.ca. Findouthowa skilledtradecan createunlimited opportunitiesforyou. Becomingan Apprenticeisthe firststeptoacareer inskilledtrades thatcanputyouin demand.You'lleven getpaidwhileyou learnonthejob.And insomecases,your tuitioncostsmay evenbecovered. Highlysought afterskills. On-the-jobtraining. Greatwages. By Holli Moncrieff For the Free Press m ukluks continue to be some of the most sought- after footwear on the planet. Why not learn how to make your own? The mukluk-making course continues to be one of the most popular programs at Louis Riel Continuing Education. "You end up with your own really gorgeous pair of mukluks. A lot of our students end up making mukluks for friends and family. It's a really in-demand course," said Jan Laidlaw, Program Facilitator. The tuition is $349, but since students also learn where to source materials, some have turned their new talent into a part- time business. "You don't have to know anything about beading or sewing to take these classes," Laidlaw said. "Everyone who takes the class just loves it." The class begins on Jan. 19 and runs for six weeks. A great companion class is Bead Art, which starts on Jan. 14 and is held over two Wednesday nights. Tuition for Bead Art is $48. Classes are limited to 12 students and tend to fill up quickly. If you'd like to express yourself creatively but aren't interested in sewing, the school division is offering a new four-week course in art journalling. "You learn about putting together the colours, words, images and ideas that go into an art journal. Different themes and techniques are taught each night," said Laidlaw. "Art journals combine words and art. Some of the themes are travel, dreams, and creative exploration — an art journal can be whatever you want to make it." The art journalling class starts o n Jan. 14, and is taught by oil painter Julie Lamoureux. "Art journalling is a way to get in touch with your feelings through self-exploration. It's a tool for introspection," Laidlaw explained. "This class is new for us. We've never had a course like this before." Another popular art class is silk painting, which has had such a high demand that the school division now offers an advanced level. "Students can choose to make either a scarf or a wall hanging. They can bring their own images from home, or use the design provided by the instructor, which is a gorgeous butterfly on a flower," said Laidlaw. "The colours used are really gorgeous. The students use watercolour techniques to mix the colours." The first level is a four-week course that begins on Jan. 14. Tuition fees are $69. Laidlaw finds that adult students are looking for opportunities to use their hands. The school division's hand-built pottery workshop is always in high demand. This six-week course runs on Tuesday evenings. "Students learn to make little boxes, coil pots, or pinch pots. It's a really great way to learn how to work clay for people who have never tried it before. It's completely different from traditional pottery classes. You can do anything with hand-built pottery," she said. "This course is great for people who want to do more creative work but who want it to be more tactile. People seem to really enjoy this class." Another new hands-on course that will be offered this winter is Make Your Own Container Candles, a workshop that teaches students how to make soy container candles. "Soy is a healthier thing to burn. You can use some of the materials you already have in your kitchen. The students will learn how to make tealights, as well as candles in small glass cups," said Laidlaw. "We think it'll be really popular because pretty much everyone loves candles." One of the school division's most popular courses is also one of its most practical. Both levels of the Small Engine Repair program could end up saving participants a lot of money. "People bring in their lawnmowers, snowblowers, or outboard motors and learn how these small engines work and how to fix them," Laidlaw said, adding that the class is extremely popular with women as well as men. "Once you've learned how to repair small engines, you're pretty much always able to fix them. You can carry the theories you learned from working on one engine over to others too." Small Engine Repair is a five-week course that begins on Jan. 14. The classes run from 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m., and are taught by mechanic Les Kovacs. For more information on all the classes Louis Riel Continuing Education has to offer, please see their website at www.lrsdconed.com. ● Louis rieL continuing ed courses creative & practicaL Les Kovacs (left), instructor of the Small Engine Repair class, and Ken Zulyniak work on a boat motor at the Louis Riel Arts & Technology Centre. Photos by Darcy Finley A carburetor for an outboard boat motor.

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