By Matthew Le Blanc
Jul 10, 2022
For many students the introduction to welding starts in high school, and secondary school technological teachers are a big factor in influencing these students to continue the jour ney into a career in the skilled trades. Secondary school technological educators are often the starting point for many exploring the world of the skilled trades and that pipeline to help close the skills gap across Canada. Yet, in many provinces, these educators may not have welding experience or formal training as a welder.
The CWB Welding Foundation recognizes the need to support these educators through hands-on welding professional development through the Educator Training Program. Since 2016 we have helped over 400 secondary school technological educators across Canada to enhance their welding knowledge and skills, and our numbers continue to grow.
Over the past few years, we have also gained the support of provincial organizations such as the Ontario Council for Technology Education (OCTE), whose mission is to represent, support and advocate for technological education in Ontario. They also recognized this gap and continue to work with the CWB Welding Foundation to support this professional development. Except for the past two years, the CWB Welding Foundation hosts a welding training session at the OCTE annual conference that always fills to capacity quickly, with a waitlist of teachers hoping to get a chance to take the session. OCTE recognizes that these professional development opportunities significantly benefit technological education teachers not only in Ontario, but across Canada. In a 2018 survey conducted by OCTE, over 45% of Ontario technological educators teach in areas that can specifically benefit from welding training, including Transportation Technology (18.5%), Construction Technology (18.3%) and Manufacturing Technology (8.8%). Despite this fact, only a fraction of these teachers has received formal training in welding that can be integrated into student projects and support exposure to the welding industry and skills development for students.
In partnership with CWB Education, the Foundation provides the participants with access to world-class theory and hands-on training in a shop environment. The program goal is two-fold: to ensure educators pass along to students the correct way to weld, but also ensure that the instruction they receive is in a safe environment. Safety is a top priority for the CWB Welding Foundation in all of our programs. Another critical factor of this training is that it also provides an opportunity for educators to network with other educators to create a support system that continues to foster a culture of safety and encourage more students to choose careers in welding and the skilled trades. Upon completion of the program, teachers are equipped with new educational tools, safety tips, and welding knowledge to enrich instruction in their classrooms.
Secondary school technological educators play an essential role in developing the skilled trades pipeline as they are vital influencers in steering students towards those career pathways. With this additional training, educators are equipped with the welding skills, knowledge, and safety procedures required, so students learn about welding in Canada and the vast opportunities available to them.