From apprentice to entrepreneur

From: Canada Business Network -Government Services for Entrepreneurs

October 25, 2012 • Tags: Startup, Training

 

Sometimes the best way to learn something is to do it. Taking the leap to start a business in a skilled trade might be your dream, and learning from someone who is already in business may be the perfect place to start. Your journey to entrepreneurship could begin with apprenticeship.
So what are the benefits of choosing apprenticeship? As an apprentice, you:

• Experience the work first hand
• Learn the skills that are needed for your trade
• Get paid while you train

You can choose from over 140 exciting trades that are part of apprenticeship programs in Ontario. When you enrol in a program, you will likely be trained in the workplace for 2 to 5 years. This hands-on training gives you the chance to learn about the industry directly and network with others in your field.
Another benefit of apprenticeship is the availability of financial support for you and your employer. As an apprentice, you may qualify for a scholarship or grant of up to $2,000 to help you pay for training or tools. Your employer may be eligible for the Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit or financing to hire and train you as an apprentice in specific skilled trades.

Link to the article

Third Time Is A Charm

It is very hard to put into words how I feel about driving the apprenticesearch car.  It seems like only a few weeks ago we had our first meeting.  Looking back it is amazing what we have accomplished together.  I am honoured and very proud to say that together we have won our third Ontario Pro Challenge Championship!!!!!!!  We finished up this season at Sunset Speedway, everyone drives fast at this track.  After winning two races in a row, you would think that we had the car to beat, right?  Not wanting to sit back and just go racing, my team went for a whole new setup.  I know, it is crazy to try something new when all seems good.  We wanted to expand our learning.  We documented every change, to make it easy to go back if things didn't work out.  From our first lap the car felt different, it felt slow.  I mean really slow, like I was pulling another car around the track.  Not exactly what I wanted to feel.  In the pits we looked at the lap times.  My initial thought was my team started celebrating a little early!!!! The stop watch never lies, so out for the second practice we went.  This time we went out first in line to gauge what we have for the competition.  Sure enough the car felt slow, but the other drivers were getting smaller in my mirrors.  Knowing that we found something good, we parked the car and waited for the racing to start.  Starting in last again, we were in the lead on lap 3 and driving away to the victory.  A seventh starting spot in the feature, and right up to the lead in 4 laps.  This car was great, my driving was as good as ever.  We did have some company, the 02 car was a rocket as well.  We drove side by side for almost 12 laps before I could clear him and drive away.  It was an amazing race, the most aggressive I have ever driven.  Turns out the car isn't so slow after all.  We had a perfect night, 54 points and winning the championship cup.   I would like to thank everyone at apprenticesearch.com for their support and kind words.  Thanks to every visitor to this blog as well.  It was great to see everyone at the track this year.  Looking forward to next year already. 
Stay tuned to see the complete rebuild and painting of the car in the off season.
Any ideas for a new paint scheme?

Fact vs Fiction: The Ontario College of Trades

Fact vs Fiction
Get the facts:

The College of Trades’ membership fee is not a tax
The College of Trades is not a school
The College of Trades will not make all trades compulsory
The College of Trades is not a bureaucracy
The College of Trades will not restrict young people from entering the trades
The College of Trades invites tradespeople to help set apprenticeship ratios
The College of Trades will help the economy and skilled trades professionals

FICTION: The College of Trades will impose an $84 million dollar tax on tradespeople and employers.

FACT: Like other regulatory colleges in Ontario, the Ontario College of Trades will be funded through membership fees. This is not a government fee.

The College’s budget in 2013 is about $20 million. To suggest that the budget is $84 million is simply wrong.

The membership fees will fund the operation of an industry-led organization that will protect the public interest by regulating and promoting the skilled trades. Previously, the cost of running the skilled trades system was paid for by the taxpayers of Ontario. The fees charged by the government did not come close to covering the cost of a self-governing regulatory college.

The College’s membership fees have not been decided yet, but they will be the lowest of any regulatory College in Ontario.


FICTION: The College is a union-run school that will provide training and education in the skilled trades. 

FACT: The Ontario College of Trades is not a training institution, like a community college or trade school. The College is a regulatory body, similar to the College of Teachers, the College of Nurses or the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The College represents the trades in Ontario. It’s led by a Board of Governors made up of representatives from all trade sectors, employers and employees, union and non-union, compulsory and voluntary trades, as well as members of the public.

The College has a mandate to protect the public interest by regulating the skilled trades sector. The College will certify tradespeople to high industry standards and will help attract talented young people to careers in the skilled trades.

Tor ead more of the facts from the list click this link to go to the College of Trades Website