Oshawa, Ontario - Durham College's Youth Internship Apprenticeship Program triumphed over 14 other entries from across Canada to win the prestigious Program Excellence Award from the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). This is the first time that Durham College has won an ACCC Excellence Award.
The award is one of five honours the national education association presents each year. The other four award categories are: leadership, staff excellence, teaching and student leadership. ACCC was founded in 1972 and it represents more than 175 post-secondary institutions across Canada.
"I felt elated and proud when I heard the news," said Sandy MacDonald, the Durham College professor who served as YIAP co-ordinator. "This is the first program of its kind in Canada. Everyone involved is very proud of its great success and the tremendous effort and achievement of each and every YIAP student."
Durham College will be recognized for the award at the ACCC conference in Whitehorse, Yukon, in May. As well, an ACCC representative will honour the college at a local ceremony.
"Everyone at Durham is ecstatic about the award," said Bev Balenko, vice-president of business and skills development at Durham College. "Our YIAP students, the provincial and federal governments, local school boards, participating co-op education teachers, and faculty in our Skills Training Centre are all to be congratulated. This is also a real tribute to the industry representatives from the local apprenticeship committees who spend hours and hours of volunteer time on this great program."
Program Excellence Award entries were judged on their innovation, portability, sustainability, effectiveness, participation and their ability to meet or exceed their objectives.
Durham College created the Youth Internship Apprenticeship Program (YIAP) in partnership with the Ontario and federal governments, four local school boards and area industries. YIAP was launched in 1996 as a three-year pilot project.
The program enables high school students to gain apprenticeship training and workplace experience while they complete their secondary school diplomas. It was created to continue to provide much-needed apprenticeship training when skilled trades programs were being reduced or cancelled in the high school system.
YIAP has been a resounding success. At graduation a clear 92.5 per cent of the students who completed the program were offered full-time employment as registered apprentices.
Recognizing the immense effectiveness of the program, the Ontario government chose YIAP as the model for its own youth apprenticeship program.
Media Contact:
Catherine Shearer-Kudel
catherine.shearerkudel@durhamc.on.ca
(905) 721-3111 ext. 2162
fax: (905) 721-3201
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