In front of more than 300 secondary school students, recent graduate Kevin Kirk expresses his passion for a school program that he says changed his life.
“The ACE IT program is a win-win decision,” he told his former peers.
Kirk graduated two years ago after taking the automotive Accelerated Credit Enrolment Industry Training (ACE IT) program at Seaquam Secondary.
ACE IT allows students to begin accredited trades training while still in high school.
Students complete secondary school and embark on a career in the trades simultaneously – giving them a head start on their careers.
“It’s a really neat way to get into a career, and you can start in high school,” said Rodger Hargreaves, Manager of Youth Initiatives with the Industry Training Authority (ITA), the provincial crown agency responsible for overseeing B.C.’s industry training and apprenticeship system.
Hargreaves and Kirk were both guest speakers at a recent trades forum held at Delta Secondary School.
Kirk now works at Fountain Tire, apprenticing as a mechanic, and will be a journeyman by the time he is 20-years-old.
He told the trades forum crowd that the ACE IT program is good at connecting students to great employers after high school graduation.