Moving up the ladder

Michaud and Speed have scaled the apprenticeship ranks, but plan to climb even higher

Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Feb 21/03) - Installing water and fuel lines below a new housing unit in Fort Simpson, William Michaud and Taylor Speed are content in their chosen profession.

Michaud, a journeyman with his plumbing, gas fitter and oil-burner mechanic tickets, and Speed, a fourth-year apprentice in the same trades, both studied under Bob Hanna, their boss at the Fort Providence Housing Authority.

"All I can say is good things about apprenticeship," said Michaud. "I like it because of the independence... it's good to work with your hands."

After spending a couple of years in college pursuing a psychology major, Michaud had a change of heart.

In 1998 he passed the trades entrance exam. He was delighted to be earning a decent pay cheque as a first-year apprentice doing something he enjoyed.

Speed, on the other hand, got involved with apprenticeship while still in high school. Struggling with his academics, he became aware of the Schools North Apprenticeship Program through a guidance counsellor. Speed began spending half his days in school and the other half working, which actually earned him a couple of credits. By the time he graduated, he had enough hours under his belt to complete his first year of apprenticeship.

"It really has worked to my benefit," said Speed.

Although most apprentice work is hands-on, there is eight weeks of intensive classroom work to be done each year.

"You really have to buckle down... it's either you're there because you want to be or you could get kicked out," Speed noted.

"My marks have been getting progressively better the more hands-on experience I get."

Speed and Michaud spend most of their days servicing oil burners and furnaces and doing maintenance plumbing.

Although he is now a journeyman, Michaud said he has only just started to scratch the surface. There are many course to take and other certifications to be gained such as power engineering and steam engineering, he suggested.

"It doesn't end here. There's always an option to get better at what you're doing," he said. "I'm pretty happy with what I'm doing right now but I definitely know there's room for expansion."