Skills Ontario is bringing its camp program to Bracebridge this summer, offering students a hands-on chance to learn about skilled trade and technology careers at Georgian College Muskoka Campus.
Ian Howcroft, CEO of Skills Ontario, said the camp program aims to show students entering Grades 7 to 9 what careers in the trades and technologies are all about. All the camps have similar core elements, but each session is different based on the location and group involved. Past campers have worked with chefs to make pizza in culinary labs, painted and repaired cars, welded their own metal bookends and more. The camp in Bracebridge runs July 22 to 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and costs $250 plus tax per camper.
“We’re giving them an opportunity to learn, to have fun, to explore, and in a way that the parents don’t find onerous on the budget as well,” Howcroft said. “What we want to do is make sure as many people as possible get exposed to the skilled trades, and we don’t want to have any barriers.”
Howcroft said there’s no profit motive when it comes to the camps, so they do what they can to keep the cost low. In addition, they work with school boards and other organizations to help provide access to students who might not otherwise be able to attend.
The partnership between Skills Ontario and the colleges they work with is also essential to the camp program. Georgian College and the other schools they collaborate with provide use of their equipment, facilities and staff, so campers get access to leading-edge equipment and instruction while having fun with their peers, he said.
Though there are lots of opportunities to learn, the camp isn’t meant to be a continuation of school. The schedule has games and social activities built in, and campers often get to bring home things they’ve created throughout the week. Still, safety is an important part of camp, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board has been a major supporter of the program.
“Health and safety is a foundational skill that we incorporate in everything we do,” he said. “It’s a big part of our summer camps too because we want to make sure that when young people are going into the world of work, they have a good grounding and understand that these jobs, these careers, have to be built on health and safety first.”
While Skills Ontario’s virtual camps during the height of the pandemic were well received, the team behind them is excited to be back in person. Howcroft said bringing campers together is an important part of community building and creating an engaging experience, so he’s thankful to their partners for supporting the program.
Skills Ontario tries to include as many regions as possible, so partners like Georgian help make that happen. While the camps are designed for students going into Grades 7,8 and 9, students in similar age groups are also welcome to participate, he said.
They want to open people’s eyes to what educational and career pathways can come from skilled trades and technologies, and that includes parents. Parents get to come in and see what their kids have been up to on the last day of the week.
“One of the big barriers to getting people exposed to skilled trades is parents don’t want to necessarily have their son, their daughter go into a skilled trade,” Howcroft said. “They don’t necessarily think that’s a good career, but it’s an amazing opportunity, so we’re trying to make sure that parents are also aware of what a future in a skilled trade or technology career is all about.”
Visit the Skills Ontario website to register or learn more.