Youth gain Power Equipment skills on campus

Brandon’s Building for Tomorrow Youth Camp wrapped up last week.

This Building for Tomorrow Youth Camp program, Power Equipment Youth Camp in Brandon, offered high school students in Grade eight to ten the opportunity to explore career options and their potential and passion within the power equipment industry.

Assiniboine Community College partnered with Apprenticeship Manitoba this summer to offer three two-week youth camps focused on small engines in Brandon, welding in Dauphin and a combined camp focusing on small engines and welding in Russell. The Brandon youth camp began July 18, 2016, welcoming students to ACC’s North Hill Campus for two weeks.

All fifteen students received certificates of achievement last Friday.

The program provided a true ‘learn by doing’ experience where students got the opportunity to take apart engines and get them working again. They worked on a weed eater, snow blower and dirt bike.

“I got to ride the dirt bike after helping to put it back together,” said David Stevenson, a student at the youth camp. “I really enjoyed that!”

The students worked 85 per cent of the camp in the shops with the rest being spent on computer based modules called Electrude. This interactive modules allowed the students to dissect the engines, learn component movement through videos and interact with a multitude of engines.

Apprenticeship Manitoba offers youth programming throughout the province in the summer months. The Building for Tomorrow Youth Camps provide youth an opportunity to expand their awareness of and exposure to the skilled trades through fun and hands-on activities. The 2015 Building for Tomorrow Youth Camps were a great success with seven service providers delivering summer camp programming to over 175 youth.