A trades program that gives high school students a chance at college-level trades training just got a $10,000 boost.
The program, offered in partnership between School District 57 and the College of New Caledonia, can now offer scholarships thanks to a donation from the Canadian Institute of Mining.
Last year the institute donated $5,000 to the Jim Rose Legacy Fund, but school board vice chairperson Brenda Hooker said the size of this years contribution came as a surprise.
These two contributions make up over half of the amount in the fund, said Hooker after Monday's announcement.
The legacy fund now has more than $27,000 after almost 10 years building of fundraising.
So what it means is that were able to finally start paying out of the fund and start offering a scholarship as soon as next year, said Hooker, to give students a chance at enrollment in the Career Technical Centre.
Hooker said the details and amounts for the scholarship still needs to be hammered out, but should be available for the fall 2015 semester.
The two-year program lets Grade 11 and 12 students take two semesters at their high school and two at the college in order to earn the equivalent of their first year of technical training.
It really gives them an advantage in getting started, said Hooker of the dual credit program.
Tuition is subsidized by the district and college by more than half the normal course fees, but student costs are still more than $1,000.
A student may have the ability and the desire to participate but may have a funding barrier, so this will give students that show aptitude in the area of trades the ability to maybe participate when they wouldn't have otherwise, Hooker said.
Our vision for the district is learning that enriches every student and through partnerships like this, then we can make that happen.
