OYAP Graduate Speaker’s Bureau provides an opportunity for past program participants who have become apprentices or journeypersons to choose to serve as mentors and ambassadors of the program at various events and forums. The list of speakers, and their details, for this school year are given below:
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 Taneshia Fadden:
I’m a registered apprentice welder at Cooper Trench Safety. In January
2021, when we went into another lock down, I needed an excuse to do
something. I got hired as an apprentice welder, while I was attending
virtual school. I did two hours a day of virtual learning and then
continued to work afterwards. In grade 12, six of my credits were full
time co-op. I recently graduated from
John McCrae Secondary School. OYAP helped me to find out what I wanted
to do at an early age. Instead of going to college and studying welding I
got hands-on experience working as a OYAP registered. It is exciting to
learn from someone other than a college professor who teaches you
different ways to weld. OYAP was a great high school program that made
me realize I wanted welding as my career path.
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 Abbas Hamdan:
I am passionate
about the trades and have a wealth of hands-on experience. I went to
Longfields Davidson Heights High School and attended the OYAP program.
With OYAP I was able to get a headstart with my automotive
apprenticeship at Algonquin College. I am currently working at Hunt Club
Nissan as a level 1 apprentice and Barrhaven Chrysler as a car
salesperson. Customers feel more comfortable purchasing a vehicle with
me because of my knowledge of fixing cars.
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 Hanna Toll:
I
am from Ottawa, Ontario and I was an OYAP student at West Carleton
Secondary School for two of my high school years. In grade 11 and 12 I
did a carpentry Co-op placement with a subcontractor for Spadaccini
Carpentry. I enjoyed every second of it and I strongly recommend trades
for people of all kinds for the experience, the fun, the people you
meet, and the skills you learn.
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 Lily Macdonald-Some:
I am a highschool graduate from Ottawa Technical Secondary School and
recipient of the 2021-2022 Student Recognition Award Winner. I will be
attending the Design Foundation at Algonquin College in the fall. I am
also a young entrepreneur with a craft online business. OYAP helped me
explore new things and gain more confidence with my communication and
creativity.
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 James Clayton:
I
just graduated high school from Ottawa Technical Secondary School.
Since grade 10 I have been actively pursuing a career in welding. I have
participated in the Co-Op, in partnership with OYAP, in the last couple
of years and enjoyed hands-on learning. I have successfully completed
my level 1 welding qualification course at St Lawrence college this fall
and am looking forward to finishing level 2 and 3.
The
OYAP program provided me with a valuable opportunity to gain skills and
experience in welding, a field I am passionate about. Through OYAP, I
was able to receive meaningful certifications and training that made me
more marketable when seeking a co-op position in welding. In addition to
these resources, OYAP also offered me financial support, such as
assistance with gas mileage and the purchase of safety equipment like a
welding jacket and mask, to help reduce barriers and enable me to
succeed in my co-op.
Not
only did OYAP help me establish myself as a welder, but it also
supported me in advancing my career through a Level 1 apprenticeship.
Thanks to my success in the program, I was able to attend St. Lawrence
College and progress in my apprenticeship while completing my secondary
education. Through OYAP, I was able to take advantage of available
supports and opportunities, paving the way for a rewarding and
meaningful career as a welder.
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 Moo K'Paw Shee:
I am a former Woodroffe High School Student. I worked at a plumbing
retail store for my co-op as I plan to become a plumber for my future
career. I am currently working a regular full time job. My plumbing
program at Algonquin College starts January 2023. I want to become a
plumber as I'm a hands-on person, and plus they make good money. OYAP gave me great and beneficial information to help with future career growth.
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Clark Bradley:
I graduated from Earl of March High School in June 2022. I was the winner of the OYAP Tools of the Trade
bursary. I participated in the Manufacturing Specialist High School
Major program and completed a co-op placement with a local electrician.
This experience led me to decide to pursue a career as an electrician
post graduation. Through the OYAP program, I will be completing level 1
electrician's training at Algonquin College this January.
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Noah Scott:
My name is Noah and I graduated from Longfield Longfields-Davidson
Heights Secondary School. I graduated as an automotive service
technician apprentice. OYAP helped me to complete Level 1 from Algonquin
College and now I am ready for Level 2.
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