1.1 Overview of the SSA Scholarship Initiative and the SSA Program

Secondary School Apprenticeship (SSA) is one of three Career Programs (CPs) offered to secondary school students throughout the province of B.C. One unique design feature of the SSA program is the Secondary School Apprenticeship scholarship, a $1,000 scholarship funded jointly by the provincial and federal governments as part of the Strategic Initiatives (SI) Agreement. The SSA scholarship SI was implemented in 1994 as one of many innovations to test new approaches to labour market adjustment in collaboration with the provinces. As of the 1997/98 fiscal year, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) had contributed a cumulative total of $171,482 towards this initiative. The Province of B.C. had contributed a total of $164,750.

The intent of the scholarship is to recognize achievement, to induce students to consider the trades and to encourage SSA students to complete high school and strive for high grades. Scholarship funding is available to any student who successfully completes an approved Secondary School Apprenticeship Program, meets all graduation requirements with a minimum C+ average and continues his/her apprenticeship for at least six months after graduation.

The Secondary School Apprenticeship (SSA) program was introduced in 1994 and is the newest of the three CP models. The objective of the SSA program is to provide students with an easier transition from school to the trades and to encourage more students to consider the trades as a viable career path. Students enrolled in SSA complete 480 hours of paid, workplace-based training with approved employers or a joint board who indenture them. This work experience provides students with 16 credits towards graduation and also counts towards credit in the apprenticeship system. Students may also complete the Level 1 Apprenticeship Technical Training while completing course requirements for a Provincial Dogwood Certificate. In 1997/98, there were 397 students enrolled in the SSA program.

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