If the Legault government is to add 30,000 more students to vocational training, it must first ensure it has enough teachers to train them, teachers’ unions warn.
• Also read: Requalification program: graduates who cannot find a job
The Autonomous Federation of Education (FAE) and the Federation of Teachers’ Unions (FSE-CSQ) on Tuesday welcomed the $81 million investment announced by Secretary of Education Bernard Drainville to make professional education more attractive.
This is a first step in the right direction, but more needs to be done, they warn.
In order to attract more students, the teachers have to be there first, says Mélanie Hubert, president of the FAE. “In vocational training, you have to convince people to leave jobs that often pay more than what they earn in the educational network. We sometimes talk about a difference of tens of thousands of dollars,” she points out.
In order to attract them, we must therefore offer them more attractive working conditions. However, as part of the public sector negotiations, Quebec wants them to work evenings and weekends to make vocational training more accessible.
“Craftsmen often come for training because of the more stable working hours. It’s a compromise they are willing to make in order to have a better quality of life. If we don’t have that anymore, we risk having trouble putting them on,” warns Ms. Hubert.
These teachers, who often come from the labor market, must also complete a bachelor’s degree in vocational education in order to qualify, which they usually complete over many years while working.
“If we let them work evenings and weekends, it’s going to complicate the deal,” she adds.
In order to increase graduation rates in vocational training, it will also be important to invest in student unions, as many have special needs that do not magically disappear after enrolling in these programs.
“This is the blind spot in the plan that was presented to us this morning,” says Mélanie Hubert.
Do you have any information about this story that you would like to share with us?
Do you have a scoop that might be of interest to our readers?