Rankin students learning carpentry skills
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Rankin Inlet (Feb 21/01) - Building new beginnings could be the theme for the latest training course being offered in Rankin Inlet.
A community carpentry course has started in the hamlet. It is sponsored by Kivalliq Partners in Development and delivered by Nunavut Arctic College.
Journeyperson carpenter Sebastien Curley is the course instructor and says the program is an introduction to carpentry.
"We're more or less trying to teach our students the basics of carpentry, focusing mostly on framing," says Curley.
"We have 14 students in the program which is quite a strain on my resources."
The 14-week program runs until April 27.
Participants also receive basic first-aid, workplace hazardous information and safe working habits courses during the program.
Curley says the course highlight is the partnering with the Rankin Inlet Housing Association (RIHA) to renovate a home.
"We need another instructor to be effectively able to take on that job.
"With so many participants, I can't supervise all of them in the shop."
Curley should soon be getting the help he needs as the Department of Education has agreed to provide funding to hire an assistant instructor for the program.
Already the students have produced 14 free-standing ashtrays to be distributed to businesses and organizations in the community.
Curley says he prefers projects which offer a lot of theory with practical experience, making the house renovation ideal for the program.
"That project will keep us busy for most of the course and my students will benefit from the theory."
Students who complete the course are eligible to take trade entrance exams.
A course will be offered in May and five to seven of Curley's students could be accepted.
Curley says would-be carpenters need math and science skills and the trade entrance program prepares them in those subjects before they write the exams.
"Once you've passed the exams, you need to be sponsored by a contractor and then you start your apprenticeship training to become a journeyman carpenter.
"Hopefully, some of my students will make it that far, but, for now, we all owe a big thank you to Umingmak Supply Ltd. and the RIHA for helping to get them started."
