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Fanshawe's PATT program helps
skilled immigrants find jobs
Twenty students graduated this week from Fanshawe's
Preparation for and Access to Trades and Technology (PATT) program - and
all were employed before graduation day.
Program manager Monte Black reports that half of the students were
employed before the end of the year-long Manufacturing Sciences course,
while the remainder found work through the London Unemployment
Help Centre.
The provincially funded program was launched under the Access to Professions
and Trades section of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in
2002 to help skilled immigrants earn Canadian certification in their trades.
Traditionally it has been difficult, even for immigrants with extensive
training in their home countries, to overcome regulatory barriers and find work
in their trades.
The PATT program includes training in Ontario occupational health and safety
practices and laws, technical language, shop skill level identification,
portfolio development and career planning and job search skills. With the
assistance of LUSO and the London Unemployment Help Centre, trade positions
commensurate with their training are found for the graduates.
Continuing Education is currently running a second section of the PATT program,
with 19 students enrolled.
The PATT program not only helps individual students, but it will aid employers
and the economy generally by easing the growing labour shortage in the
manufacturing trades of machining, tool and die making, industrial machine
mechanic and welding.
PATT graduates celebrate....
Valedictorian Jose España dances with his
wife and daughter at PATT's graduation
celebration.
A beaming Richard Bartosz with his
family including his mother who was visiting
from Poland.
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