CATCA 2025

Skilled trades through apprenticeship pathways have long provided people with exceptional means to successful careers both ‘on the tools’ and beyond into management, entrepreneurship, and other exciting roles. These pathways require significant intellectual and mental capacity which is often overlooked. The demands of every trade in areas of numeracy and literacy cannot be overstated. Red Deer Polytechnic’s School of Trades and Technology is proposing an engaging and insightful look at the work being done to raise awareness and recognize the expectations both of industry and the post-secondary institutions that support them.The fundamental nature of work that Trades people do relies upon broad numeracy and literacy skills in every activity encountered. From measuring and estimating, to calculating and projecting; trades people employ diverse and complex skills in those traditionally academic areas. It is not good enough to be a journeyperson without having key working knowledge and applied competencies in mathematics and communication skills. Presentations will share deeper insights into daily applications and requirements necessary on job sites and workplaces across the Trades spectrum. Multiple presentation deliveries highlighting different areas by a variety of trades faculty will demonstrate how numeracy and literacy is essential across the board. As an added bonus, we will clearly demonstrate how these tried and tested learning applications can be used beyond those seeking a pathway in the skilled trades. The use of practical hands-on relevant learning activities is immensely powerful in engaging and inspiring learners of any persuasion. Cooking can teach physics, chemistry, and biology in practically every activity. Geometry and trigonometry are vital in all construction areas. Calculations of volume, flow, pressure, and capacity abound throughout Plumbing and Pipe related trades.Faculty from four program areas including Carpentry, Cooking, Electrical, and Welding have created highly informative and detailed presentations emphasizing and reinforcing critical rationales for the importance of academic skills, otherwise perceived as only for university driven learners, in the trades. These presentations will be enhanced with Alumni Success Stories speaking about how math, science, and other skills helped them transition from high school to successful careers in the trades. Industry Partners who hire graduates will discuss the skills they look for in apprentices and the importance of foundational education in high school to emphasize real-world applications of what students learn in school. Interdisciplinary Faculty speaking about trades integration into other subjects like physics, engineering, technology, education, and essential critical thinking areas so teachers can prepare students for trades careers by connecting curriculum subjects that mirror real-world problem-solving. Hands-on Learning and Technology in Trades (such as VR, AR, & simulations) showcasing how new tools are changing the way apprentices learn, making subjects more engaging for students such as our welding simulators. Workforce Development and Career Path speakers addressing workforce trends and how teachers can guide students toward stable, rewarding career paths.All these presentations align well with goals of building relationships and understanding the value of trades education for future success, both for the individual, and the community at large.