The CWB Welding Foundation recently announced two initiatives that enhance welding education for secondary school students, forge pathways to good jobs in the welding trade, and develop the skilled welders required to fulfill the workforce needs of the nuclear industry.
The nuclear industry is a key player in Canada’s energy sector and is needed to address climate change and support a global clean energy system. Not only does nuclear energy provide a significant part of Canada’s overall electricity needs, but the industry also contributes substantially to the economy in terms of revenue generation and employment. According to information from the Canadian Nuclear Association, the nuclear industry in Canada accounts for 76,000 jobs, and adds $17 billion per year to the Canadian GDP.
The development and growth of Ontario’s nuclear power and technology sectors is a critical priority of the Government of Ontario. Over $25 billion is being invested in refurbishing reactors at the Bruce and Darlington nuclear-generating stations. This has resulted in an increased demand for skilled workers, and created an unprecedented opportunity for young people to consider a career in this dynamic industry.
Along with this pressing demand for skilled workers comes apprenticeship opportunities for youth with the right education, training and attitude to succeed as nuclear welders. Cross-sector partnerships can be positioned to respond to the increased demand by leveraging this opportunity and help ensure a sustainable nuclear workforce for the future.
In 2020, the CWB Welding Foundation and its partners announced two initiatives that brought stakeholders from the nuclear industry, construction industry, education and labour together to collaborate on an innovative welding education program offered in partnership with the Durham Catholic District School Board, the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board and the Bluewater District School Board. These school boards—together with Bruce Power, Ontario Power Generation, Black & McDonald and UA Canada—are uniquely equipped to develop and deliver highly impactful training and education that will prepare students for potential welding careers in the nuclear industry.
“The CWB Welding Foundation has a track record for successfully facilitating partnerships with industry and education to ignite students’ interest in welding as a career and get them prepared for rewarding and in-demand jobs,” said Susan Crowley, Executive Director of the CWB Welding Foundation. “We are proud to be working with such enthusiastic partners to make a real difference with students, the economy and Ontario’s nuclear industry.”
These “Sparking Success” initiatives are providing immediate benefits, including consumables, welding machines, personal protective equipment, teacher training, CWB Acorn curriculum and infrastructure funding for ventilation and electrical support. In the long-term, benefits will include support for best practices in welding and related skills training through education—elementary through post-secondary—and training programs that reflect industry needs and provide a quality educational experience.
In Bruce and Grey counties in southern Ontario, the partnership between the CWB Welding Foundation, Bruce Power, Bluewater District School Board, Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board and UA Canada will benefit more than 650 students from seven participating schools in this year alone. The schools are: Owen Sound District Secondary School (Owen Sound), Walkerton District Community School (Walkerton), Kincardine District Senior School (Kincardine), John Diefenbaker Senior School (Hanover), Sacred Heart High School (Walkerton), Saugeen District Senior School (Port Elgin) and St. Mary’s High School (Owen Sound).
Four of these schools are receiving industry-grade multi-process welding machines. This will give welding students the opportunity to get hands-on experience and potentially enter an apprenticeship with a specialized welding industry qualification upon graduation from secondary school.
In Durham Region, the partnership between the CWB Welding Foundation, Ontario Power Generation, Durham Catholic District School Board, UA Canada and Black & McDonald will equip four schools with a total of 21 state-of-the-art welding booths equipped with brand-new industry-grade ventilation and 3-1 multi-process welding machines. Along with these major upgrades, each of the schools will be provided with 50 auto-darkening helmets, welding jackets, gloves and other personal protective equipment essentials. The upgrades have been completed and students are expected to begin using the equipment in the current semester.
The Durham partnership will benefit more than 300 students at four participating schools: St. Mary Catholic Secondary School (Pickering), Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School (Oshawa), Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School (Whitby) and Archbishop Denis O’Connor Catholic High School (Ajax).
“For the CWB Welding Foundation, Bruce Power and UA Canada to step up and support our local youth and our education system is a blessing for the whole community,” said Mike McCormick, a teacher at Sacred Heart High School in Walkerton. “The purchase of welders and shop improvements provides the tools necessary to develop the skills for one of the most in-demand jobs in the area. This means that Specialist High Skills Major students are being afforded numerous opportunities, including attaining welding certifications, experiencing reach-ahead programs with UA Canada and ultimately establishing a footprint for a future career.”
Some students in Durham will have the opportunity to augment their skills by accessing expert trainers from UA Canada Local 46 and Local 401 in a virtual orientation day and a customized 30-hour training program in the future. Students in Bruce-Grey will have a similar opportunity through UA Canada and Local 527. This significant contribution from UA Canada will help to further educate students and provide the necessary guidance and opportunities for success in the welding field. Students with a promising aptitude for welding will be identified and potentially offered apprenticeships, as well as pathways to employment.
MEASURING PARTNERSHIP OUTCOMES
One element of the Sparking Success initiatives is a fresh perspective on how the partnerships will be able to measure their outcomes. The partnership team has developed an “Impact Pyramid” to illustrate pathways to success.
“The Sparking Success program is structured towards specialty welding in the nuclear power industry, but when we look deeper into what the successful outcomes of this program will be, it hits a vast number of careers in the construction, maintenance and manufacturing industries,” said Alanna Marklund, National Manager for Youth, Diversity and Indigenous Relations with UA Canada. “This program will open doors for students to experience a wide range of options that they may not have otherwise realized was available.
“For example, when a student takes the 30-hour course that’s offered by UA Canada, they may find that welding is not for them, but they could discover that pipe+fitting better suits their interest,” continued Marklund. “This doesn’t mean the Sparking Success program has failed—it means the program is providing a diverse opportunity for students to still enter the skilled trades and embark on a long-lasting lifetime career with endless pathways to success.”
Through collaborations like this, the CWB Welding Foundation is leading the way for Canadian youth to access pathways to careers in welding and welding-related trades, and building a sustainable welding workforce for the nuclear industry for years to come.