Cole Hopkins from Osoyoos is apprenticing with Constellation Brands as a welder in the school district’s Youth In Trades program. At right is School District 53 career education co-ordinator Rod Kitt. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
Not too many adults can say they graduated from college before high school and then have several job offers.
That’s the position that Siobhan Detkavich finds herself in and she thanks School District 53 for it.
Detkavich was one of several young apprentices who attended a special ceremony last week at Fairview Mountain Golf Club near Oliver, where School District 53 received an award from the Industry Training Authority (ITA).
The $5,000 award is for helping youth achieve success in the skilled trades. The money will be used to assist in the development of the district’s Youth Work in Trades program, which allows students to receive work-based apprenticeship training.
Cole Hopkins from Osoyoos is doing just that as a welder for Constellation Brands. He also fabricates trailers for the winery.
Local student Jaden Alaric is currently apprenticing as an auto technician at Dean’s Garage in Osoyoos and plans to attend Okanagan College in Kelowna next spring to further his training.
In Oliver, Brittany Michaud and Detkavich are following their culinary pursuits.
Michaud chose culinary arts as a possible career because she enjoyed working in the kitchen at Southern Okanagan Secondary School.
“I like making food in different ways,” said Michaud, who finds the art of food presentation fascinating.
She learned some tips from one of the Okanagan’s finest chefs – Jenna Pillon from Terrafina at Hester Creek.
Detkavich also learned from Pillon by working at Terrafina herself.
The young apprentice is in the PC (professional cook) 2 course at Okanagan College and commutes to Kelowna every day.
Detkavich, who grew up watching the Food Network channel, showed an interest in her Grade 10 food class.
This is where career education co-ordinator Rod Kitt steered her towards pursuing a trade in culinary arts.
Detkavich admitted that taking a year off school (in Grade 11) was nerve-racking, but it may have been the best decision of her life.
She has made important connections with a number of chefs and has received job offers, including one on a cruise line.
In working for Terrafina and Browns Socialhouse in Kelowna, Detkavich has learned to take criticism.
“It’s not an easy trade to get into because of the (different) dietary conditions of people … but it’s a great way to be creative.”
Detkavich said the best part of a culinary career is that you can go anywhere to do it.
She praised the school district’s career education program for giving youth a “taste” of what’s out there and a “sense of the real world.”
She also thanked Kitt for giving her the “push” she needed to explore her career.
In Keremeos, Elijah Vesprey is working towards a culinary arts career. While he attended high school, his greatest accomplishment was cooking for Cawston Primary School students.
“I’m lucky to find a trade I really like. In culinary arts I’ve learned that you’ll never be out of work because everyone has to eat.”
Jeff Lekstrom, chief operating officer of ITA, recalled sitting in Grade 9 math class thinking about an NHL career.
“I wish I had paid more attention in math,” he said.
Lekstrom went on to obtain his provincial A Level and Red Seal Interprovincial certification in welding and also his Alberta and Saskatchewan Journeyman’s Certificate in welding.
“The trades got me everything I wanted in life and more,” he said.
Lekstrom advises youth to pay attention to their math and English comprehension skills while attending elementary and high school.
“I would say to a person that finds math challenging, to look around the environment, you need math in just about everything you do.”
Lekstrom said the most difficult part of finding relevance in the math you do in school is looking at it in a practical sense.
“Once you can find practical applications for the math it seems to be less challenging and then it can become something that you understand.”
LYONEL DOHERTY
Special to the Times
