Apprenticeship Programs
Offered only to apprentices registered in Alberta registering for technical training at Olds College.
Registered apprentices receive notification listing the dates for technical training sessions at the college offering training for their specific trade from Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
Olds College typically has two intakes of apprentices in any academic year, Fall and Winter.
Apprentices are encouraged to register as soon as they receive their notification in early May to ensure a seat, as spaces are allocated on first come, first serve basis.
FEES FOR EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM
As set by the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training – $729 + 60 Material Fee + Olds College Administrative Fees for each session.
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
Agricultural Equipment Technician
Carpentry
Welder
Heavy Equipment Technician
Landscape Gardener
The information you are receiving is current, but please be advised that all programs are subject to revision. Apprenticeship is a combination of on-the-job and technical training in an earning-while-learning arrangement that leads to certification as a journeyman certificate in a recognized trade. The apprenticeship programs at Olds College are under the administration of Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training. Apprentices work under a qualified tradesman becoming familiar with the principles, skills, tools and the materials of a trade. Depending on the trade, the term of apprenticeship varies from two to four years.
The trades that Olds College provides technical training for, are three and four year trades. During this time apprentices are indentured (under contract) to an employer(s) who has agreed to provide opportunities for them to work and gain experience in the trade, and allow them to attend in school technical training. Apprentices are usually paid an hourly wage, which increases according to their time, and experience in the trade. Rate of pay is based on a specific percentage of the prevailing journeyman’s wage in their shop.
CERTIFICATION
Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training awards apprentices completing all four-years successfully, a completion of Apprenticeship and Journeyman’s Certificate of Proficiency in the trade of Agricultural Equipment Technician. Those apprentices who attain a pass on the optional Inter-Provincial Examination for this trade will qualify for The Inter-Provincial Red Seal, which ensures recognition of qualifications in most Canadian provinces.
For further information contact:
Coordinator, Apprenticeship Programs
Tony Jordan
4500 – 50 Street
Olds, AB, T4H 1R6
Phone: (403) 556-8274
E-mail: tjordan@oldscollege.ca
To enter an apprenticeship program and become an apprentice, registrants must be at least 16 years of age and have the educational qualifications for the specific trade. (See individual program descriptions below).
Apprentices attending Olds College must be first indentured as apprentices in the Province of Alberta unless special circumstances exist.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
All applications and inquiries regarding becoming an apprentice should be made to a Regional Service Centre of Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
Prospective apprentices are encouraged to visit the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training website www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca
NOTE: Applications need be printed from this site. Offices are located at:
BONNYVILLE
New Park Place
Box 8115
5201 – 44 Street
Bonnyville, AB, T9N 2J4
Phone: (780) 826-4175
Fax: (780) 826-1904
E-mail: AIT.Bonnyville@gov.ab.ca
CALGARY
Fisher Park II
100 – 6712 Fisher Street SE
Calgary, AB, T2H 2A7
Phone: (403) 297-3100
Fax: (403) 297-3799
E-mail: AIT.Calgary@gov.ab.ca
CALGARY
7th Floor, Century Park Place
855 – 8th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB, T2P 3P1
Phone: (403) 297-6457
Fax: (403) 297-4492
E-mail: AIT.Calgary@gov.ab.ca
EDMONTON
7th Floor, South Tower
Seventh Street Plaza
10030 – 107th Street
Edmonton, AB, T5J 4X7
Phone: (780) 427-8517
Fax: (780) 422-3734
E-mail: AIT.Edmonton@gov.ab.ca
FORT MCMURRAY
Box 19, 7th Floor, Provincial Building
9915 Franklin Avenue
Fort McMurray, AB, T9H 2K4
Phone: (780) 743-7150
Fax: (780) 743-7492
E-mail: AIT.FortMcMurray@gov.ab.ca
GRANDE PRAIRIE
Suite 100, Towne Centre Mall
9845-99 Avenue
Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 0R3
Phone: (780) 538-5240
Fax: (780) 538-5237
E-mail: AIT.GrandePrairie@gov.ab.ca
HINTON
568 Carmichael Lane
Hinton, AB, T7V 1S8
Phone: (780) 865-8293
Fax: (780) 865-8269
E-mail: AIT.Hinton@gov.ab.ca
LETHBRIDGE
Room 280, Provincial Building
200 – 5th Avenue South
Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4C7
Phone: (403) 381-5380
Fax: (403) 381-5795
E-mail: AIT.Lethbridge@gov.ab.ca
MEDICINE HAT
104 Provincial Building
346 – 3rd Street SE
Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 0G7
Phone: (403) 529-3580
Fax: (403) 529-3564
E-mail: AIT.MedicineHat@gov.ab.ca
PEACE RIVER
9715 – 100th Street
Bag 900-28
Peace River, AB, T8S 1T4
Phone: (780) 624-6529
Fax: (780) 624-6476
E-mail: AIT.PeaceRiver@gov.ab.ca
RED DEER
3rd Floor, First Red Deer Place
4911 – 51 Street
Box 302
Red Deer, AB, T4N 6V4
Phone: (403) 340-5151
Fax: (403) 340-5153
E-mail: AIT.Reddeer@gov.ab.ca
SLAVE LAKE
Box 787
Lakeland Centre
101 Main Street SE
Slave Lake, AB, T0G 2A0
Phone: (780) 849-7228
Fax: (780) 849-7356
E-mail: AIT.SlaveLake@gov.ab.ca
VERMILION
Box 26, 1st Floor, Provincial Bldg
4701 – 52 Street
Vermilion, AB, T9X 1J9
Phone: (780) 853-8150
Fax: (780) 853-8203
E-mail: AIT.Vermilion@gov.ab.ca
Agricultural Equipment Technician Apprenticeship
FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM
Eight-Weeks Each Year
The Alberta Agricultural Machinery Industry and Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training and Alberta Advanced Education and Technology initiated a four-year Agricultural Equipment Technician apprentice program. This program has been in place since the Fall of 2001.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Agricultural Equipment Technician apprenticeship may be for you if you are an individual who likes a technically challenging career working with machinery, and/or with computers, a rural lifestyle and assisting the industry that grows our food.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Agricultural Equipment Technicians may work in a dealer’s service centre or may travel to farms to work on agricultural equipment. In addition, Agricultural Equipment Technicians typically repair and overhaul engines, mechanical and power-shift transmissions, hydraulic and electrical systems on tractors, tillage machinery, and harvesting equipment. They also assemble and adjust new farm machinery and related equipment. Agricultural Equipment Technicians may specialize in specific areas including engine overhaul, hydraulics, electrical systems, power transmissions, fuel injection, or other related agricultural equipment.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Completion of Grade 12 and have a minimum of Alberta Pure Math 10 or Applied Math 10, or pass an entrance examination administered by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
TRAINING PERIOD DESCRIPTIONS
Subject areas are listed below for each in-school technical training period consisting of four eight-week training periods coinciding with years of work related experience.
First Period Training Topics Include: Safety, tools and skills, materials, electrical welding and oxyfuel cutting, basic electrical, basic hydraulics, power trains and agricultural equipment.
Second Period Training Topics Include: Engine fundamentals, service and repair, engine systems, diesel fuel injection, electronic fuel management and heavy duty charging and cranking systems.
Third Period Training Topics Include: Spraying equipment, air conditioning, heating systems, agricultural equipment, braking systems, seeding systems, precision farming, preventive maintenance, failure analysis and advanced power trains.
Fourth Period Training Topics Include: Advanced hydraulics, electrical and electronic diagnosis, hydraulic, power shift transmissions and steering and suspension systems.
For further information regarding the Agricultural Equipment Technician Apprenticeship offered at Olds College contact:
Olds College Coordinator Apprenticeship Programs
Tony Jordan
4500 – 50th Street
Olds, AB, T4H 1R6
Phone: (403) 556-8274
E-mail: tjordan@oldscollege.ca
Carpentry Apprenticeship
FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM
Eight-Weeks of training each year - Olds College offers three training periods at this time.
Applicants must be indentured as apprentices and employed in the carpentry trade prior to entering technical training at Olds College.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
A carpentry apprenticeship may be for you if you are an individual who enjoys a challenging career working with your hands, building structures that will be a part of the community for years into the future.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Carpenters work in a wide variety of areas within the trade, these consist of concrete forming, building framing, site preparation, estimating, site supervision and facility repairs and renovations. A carpenter has the opportunity to be employed by a construction company or TO be self-employed.
TRAINING PERIOD DESCRIPTIONS
First period training includes the following: Safety, building materials, hand and power tools, site preparation and building layout, foundations, floor framing, and estimating and plan development.
Second period training includes the following: Frame structures, residential roofs, interior and exterior finishes, wood stairs, and estimating and plans.
Third period training includes the following: Safety, concrete, building layout, commercial formwork, commercial interior, timber construction and estimating and plans.
Fourth period training unavailable at this time
For further information regarding Carpentry Apprenticeship offered at Olds College contact:
Olds College Coordinator Apprenticeship Programs
Tony Jordan
4500 – 50th Street
Olds, AB, T4H 1R6
Phone: (403) 556-8274
E-mail: tjordan@oldscollege.ca
Welding Apprenticeship
THREE-YEAR PROGRAM
Eight-Weeks Training Each Year
Olds College offers all three-periods of training
Applicants must be indentured as apprentices and employed in the welding trade prior to entering technical training at Olds College.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
A welding apprenticeship may be for you if you are an individual who likes a technically challenging career working with several different types of metals in fabrication and repair fields of the industry.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Welders work in a wide array of fields of the industry from pipeline construction to fabrication in a factory setting. The welder could be operating a modern mobile unit welder or working in a well equipped shop.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must have a minimum of Grade 9 or pass an entrance exam prepared and administered by the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Division of Alberta Learning.
TRAINING PERIOD DESCRIPTIONS
Subject areas are listed below for each in school training period.
First Period Training Topics Include: Safety, tools, welding faults, oxy-fuel welding, shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux core arc welding, submerged arc welding, and trade math problems.
Second Period Training Topics Include: SMAW Two, GTAW One, GMAW and FCAW Two, Pattern Development and Drawing Interpretation.
Third Period Training Topics Include: SMAW Three, GTAW Two, Drawing Interpretation, and Trade Science.
For further information regarding Welder Apprenticeship offered at Olds College contact:
Olds College Coordinator Apprenticeship Programs
Tony Jordan
4500 – 50th Street
Olds, AB, T4H 1R6
Phone: (403) 556-8274
E-mail: tjordan@oldscollege.ca
Heavy Equipment Technician Apprenticeship
FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM
Eight-weeks each year with different exit points and credentials.
Applicants must be indentured as apprentices and employed in the heavy equipment industry prior to entering technical training at Olds College.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
A Heavy Equipment Technician apprenticeship may be for you if you are an individual who likes a technically challenging career working with large off road machinery, trucks, trailers and buses or other heavy industrial machinery.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Heavy Equipment Technicians may work in equipment dealer’s service centres, resource company shops, trucking firms, industrial plants, and municipal shops. Heavy Equipment Technicians typically repair and overhaul engines, mechanical and power-shift transmissions, hydraulic and electrical systems on mobile and stationary equipment.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must have a minimum of Grade 11 or pass an entrance exam prepared and administered by the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Division of Alberta Advanced Education and Technology.
TRAINING PERIOD DESCRIPTIONS
Subject areas are listed below for each in school training period.
First Period Training Topics Include: Safety, tools, material and equipment, truck and trailer suspension, wheels and systems, hydraulic and air brake systems, basic electrical, basic electronics, and hydraulics.
Second Period Training Topics Include: Engine fundamentals, service and repair, engine systems, diesel fuel injection, electronic fuel management and heavy duty charging and cranking systems.
Third Period Off Road Training Topics Include: Advanced hydraulics, electrical and electronic diagnosis, hydraulic, power shift transmissions and steering and suspension systems.
Fourth Period On-Road Training Topics Include: Power steering systems, truck and transport power train, air conditioning, antilock braking systems, and vehicle electrical and electronic diagnosis and failure analysis.
For further information regarding Heavy Equipment Technician Apprenticeship offered at Olds College contact:
Olds College Coordinator Apprenticeship Programs
Tony Jordan
4500 – 50th Street
Olds, AB, T4H 1R6
Phone: (403) 556-8274
E-mail: tjordan@oldscollege.ca
Landscape Gardener Apprenticeship (LGAP)
FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM
Eight weeks technical training each year
Applicants are indentured as apprentices and employed in the Landscape/Horticulture industry prior to entering technical training at Olds College.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
If you like to work with plants and are interested in growing, installing and maintaining trees, flowers and turf grass in ornamental landscapes this program is for you. Does the idea of earning while learning as you work toward certification as a journeyman suit your lifestyle and career goals? You will work with hard landscaping including pavers, wood construction projects and water features.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
During your apprenticeship and as a journeyman you can find employment throughout the widely varied horticulture industry. A list of some of the possibilities include: parks/golf course maintenance, retail/wholesale horticulture marketing and sales, nursery production, green house production, sod production, landscape construction, installation and maintenance, tree care, and pest control.
Depending on your aptitude, interests and experience you may eventually become self-employed or work for someone else in the private or public sector.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
To enter the Landscape Gardener Apprenticeship program you must be at least 16 years of age and have a minimum of a Grade 9 education or its equivalent or pass an entrance examination administered by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
TRAINING PERIOD DESCRIPTIONS
Subject areas for each technical training period are listed below.
First Period Training Topics Include: Workplace safety, tools and machinery, soils, plant identification, botany, greenhouse production, and landscape construction.
Second Period Training Topics Include: Sales and communications, basic surveying, landscape construction, greenhouse structures and environments, plant identification, pests and pest management, pesticide use and safety, and turf maintenance.
Third Period Training Topics Include: Landscape design, interior plantscape maintenance, plant identification, and herbaceous ornamentals in the landscape, plant physiology, irrigation, arboriculture, and plant production.
Fourth Period Training Topics Include: Landscape design; landscape construction, irrigation, estimating and tendering, plant identification, and nursery and sod production.
Landscape Gardener Journeyman Transferring to an Environmental Horticulture Diploma Major or Turfgrass Management Major
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Journeymen wishing to continue their technical training in a more specialized vein can apply to the Ornamental Horticulture or Turfgrass Management program. Recognition of Prior Learning may be granted based on relevant work experience, training and recognized certification through the College Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition process. Journeymen Landscape Gardeners who obtained better than 75% in their examinations may apply for entrance into the Arboriculture, Landscape Management majors or Turfgrass Management.
Journeymen will receive credits for Prior Learning (varies with major) for training taken in the Landscape Gardener Apprenticeship program.
These applications will be handled on a case by case basis.
For further information contact:
Coordinator Landscape Gardener Apprenticeship Program
Darlene Morton
4500 – 50th Street
Olds, AB, T4H 1R6
Phone: (403) 556-4775
E-mail: dmorton@oldscollege.ca
Upon completion of a diploma, journeymen may apply to continue in the third-year of the Bachelor of Applied Science Degree Program. |
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