The Government of Canada has launched the Flexibility and Innovation in Apprenticeship Technical Training (FIATT) pilot projects program. Designed to help apprentices overcome challenges such as financial hardship, inaccessibility in rural and remote locations, inconvenient scheduling and few training opportunities in low-volume trades.
Technical trainers are experimenting with online learning, upfront training, mobile labs and simulator training. Ten technical trainers are implementing pilots: British Columbia Institute of Technology, Collège Boréal, New Brunswick Community College, Nova Scotia Community College, Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario, Portage College, Red Deer College, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Thompson Rivers University School of Trades and Technology and Yukon College/Aurora College.
The participants are testing new models with gasfitters, heavy-duty equipment technicians, oil heat system technicians, plumbers, refrigeration and air conditioning technicians and steamfitter/pipefitters, among others.
A series of three forums will allow the community to share their perspectives and be represented in the research. The one-hour, online forums will be professionally facilitated and followed by an open comment period. Participants will have access to the online discussion afterwards to provide any additional comments and ideas. Sessions will be held January 31st – for the entire apprenticeship community; February 28th – for instructors; and March 28th – for apprentices in block release technical training.
CAF-FCA will track the impact on apprentice learning and employer commitment to apprenticeship training. Key findings will be shared at events over the next two years.
For more information on each pilot and links to technical trainer websites, see http://caf-fca.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/FIATT-Pilots.pdf.
