Employment Service Elgin- Success Stories

Fall. The excitement in the air is almost tangible, with all the students heading to school. Some heading off to for their very first day of learning, others continuing on at various levels in their academic success. There is another group that is also heading off into a profession that has been around for hundreds of years….the apprentices.

 

Apprenticeship is an integral part of the St. Thomas - Employment Services Elgin mandate and we successfully place up to 75 apprentices with various skilled trade Employers a year. We constantly promote the apprentice option to clients and to hiring Employers – through Skilled Trades Career Information sessions, Job Fairs and in the high schools and senior elementary schools.

We like to share with you the following three success stories.

Adam Horton is thrilled to have found the job of his dreams. He graduated from Fanshawe College as a Mechanical Engineering Tool & Die Technician and always enjoyed the design and programming aspect of the trade. He was very good on all shop machines and equipment. He could make almost any part that was requested. He mastered AutoCad and felt he would like to combine his skills in the shop with his love of computers. He was targeted through Job Connect to Tru -Die Ltd. here in St. Thomas and he has become a valuable asset to the Company. He is shown here with his boss Jim Wolfe plant manager at Tru-die Ltd. Congratulations Adam.

 

Collin came to us with limited experience and a desire to secure long term employment in the trades, while Ships Ahoy Marina was looking for a motivated individual who was willing to be trained as an Apprentice Marine Engine Mechanic.  Employment Services Elgin brought the two together.  Each party added the final ingredient, commitment, and a registered apprentice emerged.  Collin is well on his way to achieving his goal and Ships Ahoy Marina has found their motivated individual.

  Milestone’s Children’s Centre has demonstrated a strong commitment to apprenticeship by recently taking on 4 Early Childhood Educator apprentices. This is due in part, to the relatively new access to the educational component of the ECE apprenticeship being offered thru distance learning. Previously, the educational component was a concern for this employer because class times for her apprentices required she release them in the afternoon for their scheduled night classes. This was problematic as the centre’s child to caregiver ratio was at risk for their after school program. The accessibility and flexibility of the educational component delivered thru distance learning alleviated this issue. Further, given these apprentices are all with the same employer, they have formed a study group and work together on assignments, sharing resources. The Employer encourages their group study and provides a positive learning / work environment for them to achieve optimal success.

West & East Elgin also fall under Employment Services Elgin area of program/service delivery. Both have their own unique cultural profile. West Elgin has a vibrant Portuguese population while East has a very large German Population. One of our Cabinetmaking Employers hired a young low-German man, recently emigrated from Mexico with limited English and related experience. His enthusiasm and passion for woodworking impressed the Employer so much, he contacted the MTCU and had the client signed as an apprentice cabinetmaker. The newly signed apprentice is thrilled to have this opportunity and continues to demonstrate his love of the trade.