Plumbing/Pipefitting, Class of 2017DG: After graduating I entered my apprenticeship with a local company in Belfast, PEI. Basically, I would work for the better part of a year and then go back to Holland College for six weeks for my block release training, and every year I wrote a block exam and passed to the next level. The apprenticeship is a paid job – you just have to go back every year for six weeks for more training. Once I had all my hours in, I wrote my Red Seal – Covid-19 kind of messed that up for a lot of us, so it took a bit longer to get all the hours to become Red Seal, but I got there in 2020. I’ve now started my own business, Clearwater Plumbing.
DG: The plumbers I met as a kid didn’t match the negative image of the plumbers I saw in cartoons and movies growing up – they were husbands, dads, hockey coaches, and professionals in their trade. I learned that plumbers are valued, respected, and in demand. Plumbing presented itself as a way to make a career in the trades and live comfortably in PEI. I grew up in Cardigan, and I was very interested in the Holland College location in Georgetown, as my father did a lot of maintenance there when I was a kid. Plumbing was the most interesting trade for me, and when I graduated from high school at 17, I was feeling sick of school but went straight into Holland College. When I first started the program, I still felt unsure about the course and my decision, but once I really got into it, I really enjoyed it. Being able to be hands-on and getting to work — I started to see a purpose for it all, and it made a huge difference in my enjoyment of the trade.
DG: I think networking with my peers and with people working in the trade made a huge difference. I got to hear about different people and companies starting from the ground up, and I learned a lot about the market here. A big thing for me was meeting people who were taking risks by starting businesses, and realizing that you aren’t not alone in taking that leap of faith. Seeing others with similar family values to me who were making changes and building their own path inspired me to do that myself. The staff at Holland College were all so supportive too – they encouraged us to take our own opportunities and to do what was best for us individually. Even now, as an alumnus, the staff at Holland College have been so incredibly supportive.
DG: My advice for young people looking to enter the trades would be to take the steps to build certainty in your trade and career path before dedicating the time. Go to the Holland College Open Campus Day to hear about all the different programs and opportunities and really see what’s out there. If I could go back, I would have called a handful of plumbers and asked if I could shadow them for a day to see if I enjoyed the day-to-day life of a plumber. It’s important to take the time to think about what you’ll enjoy and what you want from your career because it’s a lot of time to dedicate to something if you are unsure that it's the right fit for you. Give yourself time to build the knowledge and confidence in the path you want to take.
DG: Starting my own business had a lot to do with just doing what was right for my family. I took the time to look at the positives and the negatives of it and realized the reward was worth more than the risk for me. I wasn’t scared anymore to make that jump – I had confidence in my skills as a plumber, and the more I pushed myself to learn the business side of things the more confident I felt to take a leap of faith on my own. After gaining more experience in how to communicate with customers and contractors and earning their respect, I realized I was capable of more and felt I had to go out on my own to continue growing in the trade.
DG: The memories from Holland College that will stick with me would have to be going through the block release tests with my classmates. Some people found it harder than others – some had a hard time in grade school, and for others, it had been a long time since they had sat at a desk. Watching my classmates find out that they passed was like a weight had been lifted. It made me realize how dedicated everyone was to bettering themselves despite the adversity they went through to get there. We worked together to succeed as a class, and no one wanted to see anyone left behind. Everyone was looking to help each other out.
