Page 14 - HIWT Fall 2011 World of Welding

THE WORLD OF WELDING http://www.welding.org

stUdents froM nortHern ontario earn dUal
WeldinG Credits

(Front: L to R) Instructor Wayne Clarke, Brandon Genereaux, Darcy Rondeau, Kayla Corkill, Ian Cook
(Back) Skyler Cosens, and Instructor Dan Girard at Iroquois Falls Secondary School in Northern Ontario
with the Miller Bobcat 225 they mounted on a donated truck to make a mobile welding unit.
TM

Daniel Girard has been a welding instructor at Iroquois Falls Secondary School in Northern Ontario, Canada, for the past 22
years. Located about 500 miles northeast of Toronto and 80 miles from the Province of Quebec, this school now has a special
program where the senior students can choose to take part in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program: WELDER 1.

This means the students are participating in a joint venture called the School College Work Initiative through cooperation of the
Ministry of Education of Ontario, District School Board Ontario NORTHEAST #1 and with Northern College of Applied Arts
and Technologies. The college has divided their course into three semesters. The Level 1 college curriculum is taught to high
school students who remain in the welding program for their complete day. This enables high school students to receive dual
credits toward college and high school plus earn 300 hours toward an apprenticeship program.

The welding program’s objectives are to build a foundation in the basics of various welding processes and to prepare students
for future trends so that they can readily transfer this technology to continuing education or to the shop floor. Hands-on training
enhances the classroom learning experience. The program conforms to and parallels with the Canadian apprenticeship program
for welders, which is a 3-year program, meeting industrial standards, practices and procedures, providing graduates with the
skills required to meet today’s job market and the challenges of tomorrow.

“Response has been very good. In the first session, ten high school students completed the program and eight of them went
into a welding-related trade, which is very good for Northern Ontario schools. We are looking forward to similar response with
the current class,” said Dan.

“A donation of a truck allowed the students build a mobile welding unit by mounting a new Miller Bobcat 225 welder on the
TM
truck,” Dan continued. “The students are proud of it. As far as I know, it is the only one of its kind among area schools in our
very large district.”

14