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There are approxrrnately 52 career expen- ences at 300 local moans: aimed the students. rangmg from heavy industry to Alex Puetrobon of WRSSB's cooperative educPtiort department says approxrmatety 430 students are enroued m the CWOP program thus year The students go through an apolucatton process at the" Pugh schools. and are mtervtewed wtth recommendations from teachers The final declsm as to whether a student us sutted to participate In a coop program IS that of the school pnncrpal or halt days (preterabty for a full F school year). students who have opted to pantcupate go to work at real ,oos While earning hngh school credits Bloos says £276 public school board students. and approximately the same number of community employers. pamCIpated In coop programs last year. In professions such as aqrculture, visual arts, print media. busi- wess food preparatnon and fashion art l gives the students a chance to ex- More Bloos says ”I can give an example of a gtrl who has wanted to be a veterinarian for as tong as she can remember, but goes to ~ork m a vet CllnlC to fund she can't stand '0 be around suck ammals and so changes ner career chance VF But at the same tnme. Bloos says the etpenence can also amrm the student‘s chevce Dunng the Co-op work expenences. students 9am msnght as to what types of sums and tramtng mtgttt better ptooare them tor than chooon can“. A snm-lar CWOP program. offered by the Waterloo Raglan Separate School Board tWRSSB), now m " fourth year of opera- ' places students In working ammon- ments. half days for a cofnptete semester For example, employers In punt media may tell the student to focus more on practical writing skulls than on poetry and prose It gives the’ employer durect Input. and we ve (WCBE) changed a lot of our cumcu~ mm as a result ot that .. From rndustry's snde of the co-op arrange- mem employers have an opportunity to assess whether a particular student IS suated 'o an ndwldual Industry, or more speCifical. ry a pamcular place of employment The study took two groups of students - coon and n0nltFOp - and gave them a are-test which measured sen-esteem. confi- dence 'noatNe, Judgement and other per. sonality trails Both groups of students were given a post-test after coop. and the co-op students scored Signuhcantly higher than their peers who had not partKupate0 In a co-op pro- gram Those of us who have been Involved In co-oo educauon for some Mme knew that these «as had always stood a little above the :rowd but this actually proved conclu- S‘vely mar It does make a difference," Bloos says "TttoyaMoboarrthowtotatwatooeat themsotvos and their potential. In this my we re not only gmng the students the pot) Smlls out also the human relations aspect of too rrammg. wmch gvves the students self esteem - a quality WHICH goes along With Other Dersonahty traits FF Bloos speaks of a 1986 study which asked ' CC-OO programs actually made a differ- ence tn preparing students for the work ‘orce He says the study proved conclusively that they do That's why employers Irke coop pro- grams, because It allows them to try out the employee first." Bloos says “It reduces the rvme they spend hmng. and gives the employer a chance to have some Imput Into career training Co-oo programs offer students expen- ence m a chosen work held by actually otacmg them m that field for a period of time. Some students. uncertain about employ- ment choucest may enter career and guid- ance co-op programs In wmch they are encowaged to explore VENOUS career ex- Dervences Over several months. Although WCBE's cooperative education department, which was established In 1975, has changed to ancorporate enrichment programs for future universny students. as Driglnal focus was on work-omntad stu- Jems -- students who wouId enter the work force after completing the” secondary edu- cahon \COIWIIHUQO trom page 23) on to college or unwersaty That malomy at Students, he says. should be prepared for me workmg wgr_lcl_ V Changing 24 K-W Prome 1989 Education - “a-.-““u, ,vw.gvvv,vw. 'f""""' ancoma A person can be a machinist and have a good life." “We don't look at skilled trades as being high on the economoc scale. And yet when you look at the Incomes generated , who are the people that are making the best dollars? We the skilled trades people, try and large. The plumber, the carpenter and the ma- chumst have steady jobs. good jobs. and top "And parents are saymg Ws okay for sombody 9439's son or daughter to become a mechanic, but not for mine to.' That's the bottom lune. We've got a social attitude that we have to deal with. Bloos says' 583100! children are influenced by their parents. above anyone else. In chpsmg a career, "We're always telling students. '00 your best. and If your best isn't good enough. try again'. But sometimes there has to be a realization that goals can be attained. even it you have to settIe for lesser goals than what somebody else set out tor you. You come down a few pegs. but perhaps those pegs are_suited to you." One of the separate board's co-op pro- grams. Community Base places students on p03 sites tor full days during one complete school semester. "Through my talks with business people In this area. I found them to be more than Willing to spend time In (ctvop programs)," ngnardson says, "Contrary to what people think, or even say, the everyday person who makes his or living as a contractor, tor example, is quite satisMd because there is satisfaction in what they do," Pietrobon says. "People used to say things like, 'he's only a contract worker - he must aspire to something better'. But's that's not true. Teachers 90 to the particular job sites and reach the students fundamental academics, such as math and English. in board rooms. Tttostud.rttsrivocrodittortttowortrtttoy do. may receive some “avenue-hip hours. end receive tmlnlrttt horn a skilled cune- Through education programs such as co op. Richardson says students have more opportunity to become productive In the areas of skilled trades. technology and business, "If through a co-op program. a student finds out a particular career IS not for them, we tponsider that a success as well, because it's not too late tor them to direct their focus on somgtmng else." Bloos says. Neil Richardson, president-elect of the Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, says that group wows the shortage of skilled trade employees, and the attitudes towards skilled trades. as a real problem, The beauty of the coop programs offered by both local school boards rs that it the student decides a particular career - perhaps a career dreamnt of for years - IS not, after all, what was expected. it's not too late to try something else. "A machine shop teacher, for example who has been in the classroom for 10 or 15 years, can work with an industry tor two or three weeks at a time. or perhaps one day a week for a period of time," Pietrobon says. "When the teacher comes back to the classroom. they're aware of the different technologies that students should be aware of." Pietrobon says attitudes towards skilled trades are slowly beginning to change Parents, he says. are realizing that their children will be making four or five career changes in a lifetime. and that a community college or apprenticeship experience are certginly valid. In the very early proposal and planning stage. is a WRSSB program in which teachers will be taken from the classroom, and will spend and internship at the industry of their choosing to supplement their teach- ing expertise Once the work semester is completed, the students return to school for the remainder of the year to continue their required academic education. "The placements give the students matu- rity, a sense of responsibility. and a sense ot respect for work," Pietrobon says. "There is dignity in getting ones hands dirty. And if anything, I think we try to impart that the sense of confidence they receive through coop programs will certainty do them we" in future endeavors." business, retail merchandising. architeciur- al drafting, day care, plumbing, electrical, automlive machinery. and numerous other attitudes Yflt.at.t Relesky. , .- _ 7,, - .- '" v... Tr..-.'. -l an. - wuwuu "yummy SCHOOL l3 repairing cars during his co-op work placement at Ron's Service Centre in Wtttertoit, thttorattCmrt-toeo Affordable quality with first-class service. We are personally committed to making people happy. Our customers come to us with confidence, that we will provide high quality fresh gr silk flowers, plants, balloons and "unusual" giftware. Creative professional advice and appropriate gift suggestions are always available. Thank you to all of our customers, old and new, for helping to make Julie's such a success! MUCH MORE THAN FANTASTIC FLOWERS ADD A TOUCH OF CLASS TO YOUR NEXT GET TOGETHER . . . Call W...) 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