For 20 years, Grade 10 students from St. Jerome's School have gone beyond the classroom in Lakeland College's career and technology studies (CTS) program. This summer, the newest class of participants enjoyed a celebratory lunch to mark the occasion during their carpentry, automotive and welding studies at the Vermilion campus.

“This partnership with St. Jerome's really shows how important collaborations like this one can be,” says Eileen Arthur, business industry development coordinator at Lakeland, who organizes the CTS program as well. “It's so important that high school students are given the opportunity to explore their different options in various trades, to make an informed decision about what they'd like to study later. Many of them choose to pursue their studies here at Lakeland, and it's always nice to see a familiar face in the new classes each year.”

Over the past two decades, approximately 1,500 students from the school division have attended CTS courses at Lakeland. The program invites high school students to campus to participate in one-week courses to get some hands-on experience in different trades and careers. Over the years, those courses have included electrical, automotive, welding, interior design and carpentry.

“It's great to have experiences like this for kids my age,” says Tayla Zacharias, a Grade 10 student who attended the carpentry course this summer. “It's really good for us.”

Fellow student Josh Beaudette agrees, saying, “It gets me involved in all the things I need to do as an adult and I really enjoy being able to learn that. It gives me an insight in how I want to move on in my life and how to do it.”

The students were joined for the celebratory lunch by Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart, president and CEO of Lakeland College, Dave King, dean of trades and technology, and staff from St. Jerome's.