Welding returns to New Brunswick schools after 2 decades

As rain pours outside Harbour View High School, inside, a fire flares between students' hands.

After 20 years, welding is being offered as a course option at the Saint John school once more.

"I think there was a perception at the time that many of the skill trades would be replaced by things like technology," said Michael Butler, principal of the school.

"They didn't really want students to leave high school and enter right into the workforce. But to prepare them for post secondary," he said. "Now we've recognized that there are many opportunities students can have in a secondary school that will better position them for life after."

Change in mentality

In the past, some feared tradespeople would leave the province after their high school training, but Butler said the program is designed to keep students locally, helping pump workers into the economy.

He says the education department is now working with industry to help shape what the future of the province is going to look like.

He thinks over the past few years there's been an awakening at the district and the province.

"Industry is saying they know they have an aging workforce and the opportunity to grow the skill trades," Butler said. 

"If we have an opportunity to work with industry, to fill an internal gap in the New Brunswick economy, than that benefits everybody." 

The principal said industry leaders helped guide the school when it came to designing its new shop and sourcing materials; working directly with the department.

He said some financial partnerships are also in place and the Department of Education collaborated with the Canadian Welding Association for intensive summer training for teachers.

"There's a huge demand I know for welders out there. The demand is just unreal," said Andrew Clarke, the certified welding teacher. "It's coast to coast to coast."

Industry leaders have come into the class, Clarke said, and the teacher saw how his students reacted when one mentioned that a welder's salary can include six figures.

'This isn't boring,' students say

And, even if they don't want to go into the trades, Clarke said it's important students exit his class with life skills.

Brendan Byram, a student, said while he's unsure whether he'll become a welder, he appreciates what's being provided.

"I do like it a lot," he said. "This is pretty much the best class of the day. It beats English class and math class, that's for sure."

He said he's doesn't see himself as a Shakespeare scholar, but now, Harbour View is providing him with something he can work with.

"There's a lot of jobs around for this kind of stuff," Byram said. "It gives you a jump if you want to pursue it in post secondary."

He also knows students who would have cut school before because they find it boring.

"But this stuff here, this isn't boring."

Where it all comes together

For Clarke, while the trades workers might have been considered the "riff raft" of the school in the past, relegated to one corner of the building, now he sees it as the place where all the classes, English, chemistry, math, are tried by fire, so to speak.

"This is where all those other classes come together," Clarke said. "Now it's, 'OK, maybe I don't need to write those essays but I need to be able to communicate.'"

"Now it's, 'OK, we have problems, how do we solve them and move forward?'"

While the first semester is coming to a close in a few weeks, and some delays getting the students into the shop this year tightened the curriculum, Clarke said he knows what the highlight was.

He said it was seeing his students' eyes light up realizing what they can do.

"This is where our future is, with these kids." he said. "Getting them into the programs, getting them into trades."