Apprenticeship Programs Thriving at Centennial

As the largest transportation school in Canada, Centennial turns out about 1,000 car, truck and heavy-equipment technicians each year. In a recent article published in the Toronto Star, Chair Alan McClelland is quoted: "There are multiple routes that people can take to become a tradesperson."

The article then goes on to describe the variety of apprenticeships offered at our Ashtonbee Campus. The Traditional Apprentice Route is popular for students who have a job where their employer provides on the job experience while they pursue their studies over a three or four year period. Non-Tradional Routes include the MAP 32 option where students receive 32 weeks of classroom training and four weeks of work placement with an employer such as Canadian Tire, Volvo and Freightliner. Block Release MAP Programs work in partnership with GM, Ford, Toyota and Honda and facilitate the training of these companies' apprentices in the specific systems and technologies of their employers.

Co-op Apprenticeship Programs offer a two-year diploma course and allow high school graduates to take business and management classes as well as technical apprenticeship courses and work placements for automotive training, truck/coach and heavy-duty trades. Pre-Apprenticeship Programs are designed for people with "barriers" (such as language or numeracy) who might have difficulty finding employers.

The course offers 12 weeks of language and math upgrading, job-search skills and preparation for technical training. It then moves on to 12 weeks of Level 1 apprenticeship followed by a 12 week work placement. Visit http://www.centennialcollege.ca to find more information about college programs & Toronto degree.