Enrollment up for skilled trades at NSCC

Over the last five years, enrollment has increased by 34 per cent at NSCC Burridge, where welding, carpentry and automotive are offered.

Marcel Cottreau, principal for Burridge and the Shelburne campus has noticed there has been more interest in the trades area.

“In 2003-2003 we would have had about 60 students in those (Burridge) programs. This past year we had 80 students. This fall we are full in all those programs and even have a waiting list, especially for welding,” he said.

At the Shelburne campus, one rotating trade is available. The trade, electrical, has been running at capacity for four years and will now move to another campus. This fall plumbing will be brought in. Enrollment is already full.

Cottreau says they have seen a big cycle shift in the last five years.

“The message is getting out there that there are a lot of good opportunities for tradespeople to have good jobs. Students are picking up on that and becoming more interested in the trades,” he said.

Of the 18 welding graduates this year, all except one have accepted local jobs. A few years ago there would have been many more heading west.

Statistics from the five NSCC campuses in the province show that 93 per cent of graduating students are hired in Nova Scotia.

“There seems to be more opportunities coming and employers are responding to the students more and keeping them in the area,” said Cottreau.

At Burridge they have also been providing more apprenticeship training. Students are required to work with a qualified journeyman after they finish their initial training program.

“We’ve been offering more of that training at the campus, the six-week blocks that are required to encourage the graduates to continue on in the trade and become certified,” said Cottreau.