9 minute read
CAREERS & EDUCATION
Thinking of leaving school?
Don’t drop out until you are certain it’s the right decision
Students leave post-secondary school for many reasons — and sometimes it is the right decision, but sometimes it is a mistake.
Leaving school before completion has many possible consequences, including nancial loss and an incomplete or poor academic record. Nonetheless, sometimes it is a good decision to leave in order to pursue other opportunities or to handle unexpected situations that arise.
If you are sure you should leave, look after the administrative requirements, including continuing fees, failures on academic records, and di culties in future academic and nancial matters.
Let’s look at why someone might leave school and if there are alternatives.
Wrong program
If you have chosen a program that turns out to be wrong for you, it is probably best to leave it before wasting any more time and money. You may be able to drop the program before you have to pay full fees for it or receive a failing grade, if you are not doing well in it.
You might decide to complete the semester and then drop the program, or to keep only those individual courses that you want to complete. ere may be a related program that you can transfer into at the same school that suits you better.
Health issues
If health issues prevent you from attending classes or focusing on your academic work, you may need to withdraw from school until you have recovered. If your health issue is temporary, you may be able to get extensions or other academic accommodations. If your health issue is longstanding or chronic, you will want to consult with post-secondary sta hired to help students with disabilities. ey may be able to reduce any barriers to learning by providing academic accommodations.
Health issues can also include problems with depression and anxiety. Most schools have sta who can work with you to help overcome these di culties. If it is necessary to leave school for medical and/or psychological reasons, a letter from a health care provider may help.
Financial constraints
Although most students know the cost of attending school, sometimes they are not able to raise all the money required. ey may have counted on getting part-time work or nd that their budget was inadequate due to misjudged expenses or unexpected costs. Sometimes it is possible to nd work on campus to supplement income or to apply for bursaries and scholarships, some of which are based on nancial need.
Some students are reluctant to take government loans; however, there may be some good reasons to apply for them. For instance, in addition to helping you to pay for school and living expenses, some grants and bursaries are based on whether or not you are eligible for a student loan. Consulting your school’s nancial aid advisors and counsellors can help you with this decision.
Academically underprepared
A student may nd that they cannot keep up with the work because they don’t have a su cient academic background. Attending a study group or spending more time on the material will close some gaps in their knowledge. If this isn’t su cient, a background course or some individual tutoring might help.
For newcomers, a common problem is insu cient language skills, notably reading critically, listening for meaning and writing. Such de ciencies can be made up in a variety of ways, from free ministry and post-secondary programs, to more costly continuing education courses, to hiring a private tutor.
Family responsibilities
Many students also have family commitments, perhaps supporting their own children or helping their parents. Life takes many turns and what is planned may not always work out. Child care arrangements can fall apart, jobs end, people get sick and need care, to name a few scenarios. e student may now have more responsibilities than they can manage. If this happens to you, you may want to consider part-time school, continuing education courses, waiting a year to return or any number of other possibilities.
Other extenuating circumstances
Students may experience even tougher life circumstances, such as the death of a family member, a serious illness or a house re. ese situations may leave the student with no other option but to withdraw from school. In these circumstances, if you are unable to withdraw within the school’s stated deadlines, you may be able to appeal for a late withdrawal. You may also get your tuition refunded or a credit toward a future semester.
Stay or go?
Deciding on whether or not to leave school can be a very di cult decision. While not every problem can be solved, as a newcomer, you may not be aware of all the possible solutions and supports available. Counsellors and advisors will know about community resources as well as academic alternatives and requirements. ese services are usually free and may help you minimize damage to your academic record, your nances and yourself as you gure out your next steps.
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Geneviève Beaupré and Susan Qadeer have extensive experience working in university and college settings, providing career, academic and personal counselling to international and immigrant students.
6 top trade jobs
ByLisa Evans
Although the downturn in the oil and gas industry in Alberta has led to job losses, a ecting other sectors, too, including construction in that province, there is continued demand for skilled trades throughout Canada. Still facing aging demographics and steady construction growth, trade workers in Ontario and B.C. in particular are still in demand.
Continuing your trades career
If you have experience in the skilled trades from your home country and want to continue your career in Canada, your rst step is to reach out to the trade’s regulatory body in your province, if it’s a regulated industry. Certi cation varies province by province, unfortunately, so it’s really a matter of you researching based on your speci c trade and chosen province; the Canada Job Bank website (jobbank.gc.ca) is a good source of information to start.
If you’re in Ontario, the Ontario College of Trades is an umbrella group that can also provide information on various trades. Tracey Shepherd, communications o cer at the Ontario College of Trades, says the rst step to practising your trade is the trades equivalency assessment to determine if you have the technical skills to enter the trade. You will then have to pass a certi cation exam.
In B.C., if you have extensive experience working in a trade but have never been certi ed in Canada, you can go through the process of challenging the exam through the Industry Training Authority (ITA). Being approved to challenge means that you will not be required to go through the full program, but instead you will be allowed to become certi ed by writing and passing the nal exam. Again, the requirements to challenge are di erent for each trade.
Becoming an apprentice
If you’re new to the trades, an apprenticeship is the gateway to enter a trade in Canada. is work-based training program provides hands-on experience under the supervision of a licensed tradesperson and allows you to get paid as you learn. Most apprentices start by earning 40 to 60 per cent of the salary of a certi ed tradesperson and their pay increases the closer they get to certi cation. Apprenticeships vary from two to ve years.
Red Seal Program
Some skilled trades including plumbers, welders and bricklayers can receive certi cation through the Red Seal Program, the national standard of excellence for skilled trades. While trades training and certi cation are the responsibility of the provinces and territories, this program was established to create national standards for certain trades that are common to most jurisdictions.
In-demand trades
While there are a number of in-demand trades in the country, these six are among the top: electrician, plumber, welder, construction manager, bricklayers and millwrights.
Electrician
An electrician installs, tests, troubleshoots and repairs electrical wiring. Apprenticeships generally involve four years including at least 8,000 hours of hands-on training, and four eight-week blocks of technical training and written nal certi cation exam. National average salaries range from $30 to $38 an hour for certi ed electricians. Huron College in Brampton, Ontario, o ers a three-month long pre-apprenticeship program for internationally skilled electricians who need to learn the theory and practical skills in order to become an electrical apprentice.
Plumber
Plumbers install, repair and maintain pipes, xtures and other plumbing equipment. ose with a Grade 12 certi cation equivalent with courses in math can enter the apprenticeship program. e apprenticeship includes classroom studies and on-the-job training under the supervision of a certi ed plumber. Apprenticeships are generally four years long with at least 6,000 hours of on-the-job training, and four eight-week blocks of technical training and a nal certi cate exam. e national salary average for experienced plumbers is between $54,000 and $74,000 a year.
Welder
Welders work with metal parts including pipes and vessels. ey can work in new home construction, renovation, heavy industrial, commercial and civil engineering. e apprenticeship program for welders typically lasts for three years, including at least 4,680 hours of on-the-job training, and three eight-week blocks of technical training and a nal examination. e national salary average is $52,000 to $65,000 a year.
Construction manager
Construction managers plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate all of the activities of a construction project. Although requirements may vary by employer, typically construction managers require a college diploma, certi cation in a recognized trade and experience in the construction industry. According to Service Canada, construction managers earned an average of $61,651 a year. George Brown College in Toronto o ers a construction management graduate certi cate to help internationally trained professions enter the Ontario construction workforce.
Bricklayer
Bricklayers, or masons, work with bricks, concrete blocks and stones to build residential or commercial buildings, chimneys, replaces and other structures such as garden walls and patios. An apprenticeship period of 5,000 hours is required in order to complete the quali cation exam. Bricklayers can earn between $47,000 and $62,000 a year.
Millwright
Millwrights (industrial mechanics) install, repair, overhaul and maintain all types of machinery and heavy mechanical equipment. Working from plans and blueprints, they install equipment and align parts or components. Some of the components they work on include pumps, fans, tanks, conveyors, presses, generators, and pneumatic and hydraulic controls. An apprentice period of four years is typically required. Millwrights earn an average wage of $28.78 per hour, and can earn between $42,026 and $91,644.
