The accelerated and paid construction training courses so dear to the Legault government are victims of the teacher shortage. One course has already been canceled due to a lack of teachers.
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The shortage of personnel in the educational network does not stop from Quebec's offensive, which aims to recruit 4,000 to 5,000 workers to work on construction sites by the summer.
The short-term course, which costs $750 per week and leads to the Certificate of Professional Studies (AEP) in the operation of construction equipment, is ultimately not offered in Val-d'Or. The training of 36 students was scheduled to begin at the beginning of January.
“We had to cancel this program due to a lack of teaching staff at our partner,” explains Caroline Neveu, communications coordinator at the Or-et-des-Bois school service center. The students were referred to other vocational training centers in Quebec that offer a similar program.
Disappointment among students
A young man who signed up for the course expressed regret at this unfortunate outcome. “I am extremely disappointed. “I was already interested in entrepreneurs for my services,” says the prospective student, who wishes to remain anonymous. He claims he was in no way referred to other institutions that offered the accelerated training he sought.
After the caregivers benefited during the pandemic, it is now the turn of construction workers to benefit from a paid fast track to make up for the shortage of workers on construction sites.
But unlike PABs, who had to commit to working in a CHSLD for at least a year, accelerated construction apprenticeship graduates are not required to join the industry at the end of their studies.
The accelerated training, which pays $25 an hour, is aimed at five trades: carpenter, sheet metal worker, refrigeration technician, shovel operator and heavy equipment operator. Quebec also offers completion scholarships for new apprentices in programs leading to a professional studies diploma (DEP) in the five target areas.
Almost 47,000 applications for approval were submitted before Christmas. Our parliamentary office is still waiting for a full picture of the situation from the Ministry of Education to learn more about the start of accelerated training across Quebec.
Summary of applications for admission to paid accelerated training
Attestation of Professional Studies (AEP) course
Applications for admission submitted
- AEP – carpentry: 16,791
- AEP – driving construction machinery: 17,327
- AEP – Tinsmith: 3431
- AEP – Cooling: 9432
Total: 46,981
Vocational Studies Diploma (DEP) course
Applications for admission submitted
- DEP – Carpentry: 1258 N/A
- DEP – Driving Construction Equipment: 375
- DEP – Tinsmith: 174
- DEP – Cooling: 242
- DEP – Electricity: 1735
- DEP – Plumbing and Heating: 549
Total: 4333
Source: Ministry of Education data as of December 15, 2023
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