The renovation to our 28-year-old playground began on Tuesday, April 18th thanks to the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP).
In just a few short weeks we will be revitalizing and redeveloping the Bethlehem Place playground and extended yard to create an inclusive naturalized environment and play area. This naturalized play space will facilitate participation in our Early Learning Centre programs that will enhance development for children and improve the quality of life for families that live at Bethlehem Place and in the surrounding area.
The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program began prepping the site for the new playground build by removing a 3-foot high concrete retaining wall, large tree stumps, and a metal fence.
LiUNA Local 837 provides the Construction Craft Worker Apprenticeship program to the OYAP students from the Hamilton Catholic and Public School Boards in the Hamilton area.
Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program is an apprenticeship program focused on teaching students skills that will prepare them for the workplace. The hands on experience are for students to explore apprentice occupations and give them the opportunity to become registered apprentices while completing their secondary diploma.
Students participate through enrollment in a Cooperative Education program. To be eligible students need to be at least 16 years old and have successfully completed 16 credits.
The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program is a viable solution to the shortages of skilled tradespeople and the lack of interest from younger people to join trades.
The students are provided with employment opportunities through referrals to employers for interviews. If students successfully pass the interview they are placed with that employer on a trial basis.
Thank you to all of the students and staff involved, who generously volunteered their time:
- Nick Ciccone – LiUNA Local 837, Training Director
- Travis Pede – LiUNA Local 837, Instructor
- Nolan Cochrane - Student
- Lucas Grego – Student
- Nick Hill – Student
- Zach Maljar – Student
- Sarah Wasylenko – Student
- William Whitehouse – Student
