In an effort to help youth explore trades, some BC high school shop teachers went to school themselves this summer.
From July 18-21 the BC Industry Training Authority (ITA) sponsored the “Youth Explore Trades Skills Preparation” course for high school shop teachers through our Technology Teacher Education (TTED) program. This course provided the participants with the essential skills and knowledge required to teach carpentry, electrical and plumbing with an extensive hands-on focus. The idea is to develop the teachers’ skills so they can introduce these components in their high school classes.
The curriculum included identification and usage of protective equipment, demonstrating safe use of hand and power tools but also how to select materials and construct floors, support systems and wood frame walls, install conductors and cables, join piping and select and install valves and fittings. Essentially, the students want to provide their high school students with an opportunity to try various trades to help uncover an interest or aptitude in one or more of these areas!
The course was delivered at the BCIT Burnaby Campus in our TTED training facilities with 24 students, most of whom were graduates of the TTED program. The ITA felt our training facility would be an ideal place to host this upgrade of teaching skills. The new skills were used in the building of six bathroom modules, as these modules were ideal to incorporate all of the new curriculum objectives.
It was a very well-received program with all who attended stating that it was a “dynamic and well put together course.” Instructors agreed they felt “it was an intense week that was great as the students were focused and determined.”
The TTED program is the technological component needed to become a middle or secondary school technology educator, or in layman’s terms, high school shop teachers. This is a cooperative program between BCIT and the University of British Columbia (UBC) where two years are spent at BCIT followed by one year to complete the professional teacher education program at UBC.
The three instructors of the course are all graduates of our TTED program and had experience in their trade before taking the TTED program. Adrian Thirsk graduated in 2014 and is teaching at Pitt Meadow Secondary. Aaron Powell completed the program in 2012 and is teaching at Langley Secondary. Sheldon Brunt graduated in 2014 and is teaching at Kwalikum Secondary in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island.
Congratulations on a course well done!
Caption for featured image above: From L to R – instructors Adrian Thirsk, Sheldon Brunt and Aaron Powell.
