Exploring the Skilled Trades through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and Indigenous Education

Posted On Friday June 27, 2025

This past spring, Grade 11 students enrolled in the Hospitality course at Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School participated in an Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and Indigenous Education initiative. Students took part in several workshops led by Indigenous community partners where they learned about food sustainability, Indigenous food, customs and cultures. Students have the opportunity to travel to the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food at Durham College (DC) where they toured the one-acre urban farm and greenhouses where DC students plant, grow and harvest produce. Students explored the apprenticeship pathway by cooking crepes with the DC faculty in their state-of-the-art kitchen while learning more about the OYAP Level 1 programs available to Grade 12 students including cooking, electrical, plumbing, welding and carpentry.

A special thank you to Indigenous community partners, Beedahbin Peltier and Keri-Ann Peacock, for their support with this project, and thank you to OYAP for funding this initiative.