On April 21, 2026, approximately 120 intermediate students from St. Theresa, Mother St. Bride, and Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary Schools gathered at the Sam Jacks Sports Complex in North Bay for Explore the Trades, an immersive experiential learning experience sponsored by the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.

Throughout the morning, students rotated through three interactive, hands-on workshops focused on the fundamentals of framing, plumbing, and electrical work, with a strong emphasis on safety and proper tool use. Guided by skilled trades professionals and teachers with expertise in the trades, students were encouraged to explore something new, ask questions, and build confidence in a safe and supportive learning environment.

In the afternoon, students applied this learning through a small-scale, representative construction project. Working in pairs and using their own set of materials, students built a model wall that brought together skills from all three trades.

As part of the framing work, students followed plans, measured materials, and used drills to assemble the wall model. The plumbing component required students to measure and cut pipe, fabricate a mock plumbing line reflective of a simple residential setting, and install a faucet. During the electrical portion of the project, students focused on safe tool use as they stripped wires and installed switch and junction boxes. Through this experiential learning opportunity, students engaged with key curriculum areas, including numeracy through measurement, and literacy through interpreting plans and schematic drawings.