Questions & Answers - Secondary School Apprenticeship (SSA)
- What is the SSA Program?
- How old do I have to be to enrol in SSA?
- Is an SSA student a real apprentice?
- Do I have to be employed?
- What does it cost to be an SSA student?
- How many credits do students earn by being in the SSA program?
- Does an employer need to commit to employing an SSA student for four years?
- What about students who are apprentices in high school but are not enrolled in the SSA program?
- Can a SSA student enrol in the ACE IT program at the same time?
A. The Secondary School Apprenticeship is the practical side of an apprenticeship. SSA students are real apprentices earning a salary, working outside of school.
Q. How old do I have to be to enrol in SSA?
A. Students may enrol in the SSA program at the age of fifteen.
Q. Is an SSA student a real apprentice?
A. Yes. All SSA students formally register with the Industry Training Authority as a Youth Apprentice.
A. Yes. Finding an employer willing to take you on as an apprentice is a requirement of the program. High school counsellors may be aware of employers who are looking for apprentices.
Q. What does it cost to be an SSA student?
A. The program itself does not cost anything, but there may be tool and transportation costs associated with the SSA program.
Q. How many credits do students earn by being in the SSA program?
A. Successfully completing the SSA program earns students 16 credits towards graduation.
Q. Does an employer need to commit to employing an SSA student for four years?
A. No, employers are not obligated to hire students for four years, but they should commit to employing SSA students until graduation.
Q. What about students who are apprentices in high school but are not enrolled in the SSA program?
A. Students in this case should enrol in the program. Being an SSA apprentice generates course credits that students may apply to their graduation program. Also, some or all of the hours a student have already worked may be applied to the coursework and count towards time in the trade.
Q. Can a SSA student enrol in the ACE IT program at the same time?
A. Yes, it is possible for students to enrol in both programs. Being in both the SSA and ACE IT programs may involve some advance planning because of scheduling, but it can be done. Interested students should talk to high school counsellors about concurrently enrolling in SSA and ACE IT.
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