The document summarizes the experience of a stakeholder who graduated two years ago from a private college heavy equipment operator program. While he excelled in the program, he has found it difficult to find a job due to lack of experience. He feels the program did not adequately prepare him for the job market or help him find employment. He provides insights on how the program could be improved such as incorporating more hands-on training during the program and better connections with potential employers.
2. SAY THINK
FEEL
DO
• School provided 15 hours of in-class studies and 200 hours of
practical, hands on training working on the equipment and
maintaining it and working on a jobsite (signals, flags, safety regs)
• Trained on 8 pieces of equipment used in contruction and mining
• Built ramps, trenches, safety steps, filled them in and compacted
• Safety and maintenance were key
• Two years experience in the construction industry doesn’t count
toward hours on equipment so still no ‘jobsite experience’
• Jobs are going to second career candidates with more work
experence whose education has been funded by the government
• Can’t get a job without experience –
can’t get experience without a job
• Any employer would have to retrain
based on their equipment and
processes
• Would have to relearn maintenance of
equipment on the jobsite
• Young people are spending a lot of
money on a diploma only to have the
jobs offered to those re-trained by the
government
• The private career trades colleges
should not be promising what they
can’t deliver
• The stakeholder both enjoyed and excelled
in the program.
• Disappointment by constant rejection as a
result of lack of experience and younger
age.
• Big promises were made and as time goes
by, resentment has set in.
• The stakeholder has good insight into ways
the program could have helped deliver
better results.
• Government funding might be contributing
to the difficulty in finding a job in the
industry.
• Private career trades colleges should have
some form of post graduate support for
finding work.
• Stress
• Disappointment
• Resentment
• Let down by empty promises
• Frustration
• Make the learning site (the sandbox) a
more realistic jobsite by adding
overhead wires, underground pipes,
etc.
• Set up the course as a coop with a
portion of the training time spend on
an actual jobsite
• Would give students both practical and
knowledgable experience to enter the
workforce
• Employers would be familiar with
graduates from that college and more
likely to hire right out of school
• Involve potential employers in the
program development so candidates
get training that is required for jobs
STAKEHOLDER
A graduate of a private college, Heavy
Equipment Operator program who
graduated top of his class two years
ago at the age of 20. Excited initially by
the enticement of big dollars out there
in abundance for those qualified to take
advantage of the opportunities but
disheartened that the jobs aren’t as
readily available as initially believed.
Ready, willing and able to work.
Insights
Private career colleges need to restructure
their courses and their supoort in a
manner that will provide graduates with a
higher success rate in achieving gainable
employment, in their field, post graduation.
Their initial communications need to
explain honestly and openly the realistic
expecations for job placement and salary
level upon graduation from the course.
Problem Statement
