Dual Credit history plan sparks interest in trades occupations | Vancouver Island University

Madeline Kozubal was doing the job at a mill in the BC Inside when she first heard about VIU’s Dual Credit program.

“I hadn’t completed high university at that position,” she recollects. “I was shadowing some of the welders and the millwrights nevertheless, and imagined those people jobs seemed appealing.” 

In partnership with The Nanaimo-Ladysmith Faculty District (NLSD), VIU’s Twin Credit history plan enables Quality 12 students to start off their college job early though earning credit score in direction of superior college graduation. Pupils can consider up to four programs in their Quality 12 yr, with NLSD shelling out the tuition.

The Hefty Mechanical Trades (HMT) method at VIU originally caught Madeline’s eye, but since it was total at the time, she enrolled in the Welding program as a substitute.

“It was most likely just one of the best moments of my lifestyle,” she says of her Dual Credit score program working experience. “The welding method was very good, I experienced a great instructor and some great mates. The significant college lecturers were being genuinely good as effectively and absolutely everyone in the method was individual with me. Until eventually that stage, my only other work expertise – other than in the mill – was as a waitress, so I was rather eco-friendly.”

Madeline accomplished the application in June 2019 and bought a job after a week of practicum with the similar enterprise. “They favored me so considerably by the stop of the 7 days that they employed me on complete-time. I labored there for about two a long time.”

She returned to VIU to choose her B Degree certification in pursuit of a Red Seal ticket as a welder, which she just lately obtained. “I was definitely into artwork when I was youthful and I delight in welding for the reason that it is kind of like an artwork sort,” she claims.

Soon after about a year, she resolved to come back to Nanaimo and return to school this fall, this time in the HMT method where she is one particular of four females in the system.

“I definitely delight in it,” the 23-yr-aged says of her knowledge in the application so much. “I’m interested in dilemma resolving, correcting factors and arms-on do the job.”

Her put up-program approach is to head to Alberta “to see what I can come across there.”

Hunting down the highway long-term, Madeline needs to get her very own company rig, “so I can go to internet sites and comprehensive repairs on-locale and on my own.”

For all those wondering about pursuing a trades route very similar to hers, Madeline claims it is value it and that men and women typically make again what they commit on instruction tenfold. She also pressured the great importance of exhibiting up for classroom classes.

“It’s palms-on discovering and if you seriously implement yourself it does shell out off, figuratively and virtually.”