NORTH SHORE students have, for years,

been involved in’ a variety of

career

preparation courses. Today's workforce re-
quires people to be multi-skilled, and be
prepared for a number of careers. Do you
think you are being properly prepared for
the workforce? Are you learning more than

one skill?

Phote Ryan Land

STUDENTS RECEIVE a varlety of work experiences through career preparation courses. Here Sutherland secondary school student
Craig Morton works at International Hard Suits Inc., where he was placed as part of his Senior Science Co-op program.

Career preparation: a bridge between school and your work life

IN North Van-
couver, the career prepara-
tion courses developed are

HERE

Weare
the

state-of-the-art.
considered leaders in
field.

> By Ryan Land <i
b> ZAP! Contributor «

The career preparation program
began in 1968 at Carson Graham,
which had a number of work ex-
perience courses, and served as a
model for developing career
preparation throughout the pro-
vince.

“We've learned a fot since the
beginning,’’ says John Ludgate,
administrator of academic pro-
grams, North Shore Continuing
Education.

When the courses first started,
they were looked upen as pre-
trade programs for students who
thought they wanted to enter such
vocations as welding or
mechanics.

As a result, not many students
who planned to go to university
took career preparation courses.
Now, however, career preparation
is taken by students of all walks
of life and all interests.

Courses, such as science and
technology appeal to students who
wish to go on and become chem-
ists, physicians, or nuclear physi-
cists.

“Although students are no
longer restricted to the programs
that limit one to the trades areas,
we now need to re-emphasize the
trades, because there has been a

marked decline in the number of
people who are looking towards
blue-collar vacations. We have to
remind ourselves and students that
there is a tremendous potential for
employment and fulfilment in the
trade-oriented careers,’’ said
Ludgate.

What is career preparation? It is
a program that involves taking
what you have learned in school
and practising it in a workplace. It
is a bridge between schooling and
your work life.

The majority of the students
who take a career preparation
course are in their senior years of
high school. This course teaches
them what they need to know to
enter a certain career field.

During the course, students go
out and practise what they have
learned. They are placed in an
actual business where they have to
put in at least 100 hours of work
experience, Their teacher and
employer develop a plan as to the
kind of experiences the student
will gain. This is so that
everything is educationally valid,
but still well balanced.

“Students do everything from
grunt work to the interesting
things, because that's part of the
reality of it (work). It’s the reality
of it that is so exciting.”

The student works with the
teacher and employer to evaluate
their productivity. Students then
reflect on their experiences,
because one can’t assume that
every choice we make at 16 or 17
years old is the right one for us.

Effectively, taking a career
preparation course that pertains to
the career you wish to follow, is a

way of not only gaining experience
or seeing if you like that career,
but finding out what you really
enjoy and want out of a career.

Students in the past have said
that such courses boost their con-
fidence and give them a feeling of
relevance; especially because they
work side-by-side with adults and
recognize that they are,as good, if
not better, than anyone else.

Many students, like the follow-
ing, feel that it was the most
enriching part of their schoo! life.
e@ K.W. (graduate of career prep):
“E think the whole program is a
good idea. ... Students who are
willing to work hard should be
allowed in. I feel that it is
definitely a worthwhile program, |!
would do it all over again if I had
the chance and can recommend it
to anyone.’’

@ K.T. (graduate of career prep):
“{ was one of the first people in
the video production course and |
had a great time. [ feel that this
program is very helpful, especially
to people who do not know what
they want to follow as a career.’””

6 J.M. (graduate of career prep):
“The name means exactly what
the program involves; it prepares
you for a career. To me, physics
and math do not help me as far as
a career choice is concerned, but
the career program gives me
hands-on experience for that ca-
reer.”

Employers have often remarked
that they have loved the opportu-
nity to contribute to even just one
student’s life. More often than
not, the student adds something to
the business. for the period that
he/she is there, even if it is just

having some fresh enthusiasm
around for a change. :

Unfortunately, nowadays we
have to be multi-skilled to survive
in the workforce. In the old days
such programs were considered
training for a career; now they are
seen as training for careers.

They help you choose what ca-
reer you wish to follow, even if it
isn't the one associated with the
course you take.

The following people answered
in response to: ‘‘Are you aware of
the career preparation program?’
and “Do you know what it in-
volves?”’

@A.P. (Grade 12
**What? No!’

@ B.G. (Grade 12 student): ‘‘No,
I’m not aware of that, but 1 think
it would be quite a productive
idea."

@ F.O. (Grade 12 student): ‘i've
never heard of it.”

@M.M. (Grade 12° student):
“I've heard about it and [ think it
deals with integrating academic
studies into real work.’’

student):

Ryan Land is a 16-year-old
Grade 12 student at Carson
Graham secondary school, who is
interested in fishing, shooting, and
squash, He hopes to pursue @ ca-
reer in computer programming or
video production.

LAST WEEK we asked if you
think it is necessary to be thin
in order to be beautiful, and
whether you have dieted,

When f was younger I was
kind of chubby. and it got me
really self-conscious because
people started bugging me
and culling me fatso and
chubby. I'm 15 now, and I've
learned fo get involved in
sports because it made me
feel good about myself. and
thinned me down.

I started trying to diet when
f was about 10, but I just
needed to grow a hit and get
involved in sports. Now I'm
happier and healthier and feel
much better about myself.

I don’t think you need to
be thin to be beautiful
because people who are thin
because they made themselves
thin are usually insecure,

I'm 18 years old and fe-
male. The first dict I went on
was when I was about seven
(years old), partly because my
mother was on a diet at the
same time. My entire family
has pushed me and told me
I’ve been fat all my life, but
now { know that I’m not fat,
and its not in my metabolism
to be fat.

Kt has to start with parents.
They have to tell all of their
daughters that ‘they are
beautiful. And parents should:
tell their kids to turn off the
TV and. find out who they
are, and not be dominated by
the mate-inftuenced media
and fashion industry.

They have to like
themselves for who they are
and quit being dominated. by
the media. 7

{ have never dicted, but
think it would be nice to go
on a diet, but not the kind
you sce on TV. A good diet
would be one with healthy
food and exercise, but not too
little food. { think its nice to
have a nice figure, but. it’s
better to date other people for
your personality. ‘

o23e

WE RECENTLY also asked
if you read newspapers : or
listen to news reports on
radio or television, and if you
think those reports concen-
trate too much .on violent
crimes and violent acts.

I do read news reports and
1 watch FY, and I think there
is much too much violence on
it. I agree with some of the
violence because it makes us
aware, but | wish they would
concentrate on some more

¢ things as well,