AIA Canada’s Quebec Division held its third apprenticeship fair in February, at the Centre de formation de l’Argile (Argile Training Centre) in Joliette, Que.

The event showcased the aftermarket industry to near future automotive program graduates and put them in contact with owners and managers of repair and maintenance shops in the area that are able to offer them apprenticeship opportunities.

The employers attending the Joliette fair represented Bestbuy Distribution, Canadian Tire, Monaco Group, Vast-Auto and Uni-Select. The apprenticeship fair was a great opportunity for graduates looking for an automotive shop as an end-of-studies apprenticeship. Their education program requires graduates to complete a three-week unpaid apprenticeship in the industry to obtain their secondary school vocational diploma (SSVD).

The event was organized by Patrick Saint-Pierre, in charge of workforce renewal at AIA Quebec, with the cooperation of Gabriel Fournier, director of the centre, and Luc Leclerc, a motor vehicle mechanics teacher.

Shop owners and managers presented their businesses and talked about their needs and networked with the graduates and were able to select apprentices who could eventually become new employees.

During a visit at the Centre de formation de l’Argile, the employers also had the opportunity to meet with the auto body instructors whose students also need to complete apprenticeships. AIA Canada provided them with apprenticeship application forms that will be sent within major stakeholder networks.

Connect with the AIA at www.aiacanada.com.

More apprenticeship information here.

Information on Ontario’s program updates here.