Written by Local 793 Staff

In the picture: Hammer Head Students with Jeff Hewitt, OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship, Peter Reed, former COBT Business Rep, James St. John, COBT Business Manager and Hammer Heads Director, Alden Paradise, OETIO Senior Instructor and Dave Viggiani, OETIO Senior Instructor.
In the picture: Hammer Head Students with Jeff Hewitt, OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship; Peter Reed, former COBT Business Rep; James St. John, COBT Business Manager and Hammer Heads Director; Alden Paradise, OETIO Senior Instructor and Dave Viggiani, OETIO Senior Instructor.

 

The Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario (OETIO) welcomed a group of Hammer Heads students to its Oakville training campus on Thursday, providing an opportunity for young people interested in the skilled trades to get up close to some of the construction industry’s biggest machines.

The Hammer Heads Program was created in 2009 by the Central Ontario Building Trades (COBT), partnering with Local 793’s training arm since then to host visits. It is a skills and employment-based training program within the construction industry offering apprenticeship career opportunities to the youth of under-resourced neighbourhoods.

Hammer Heads director James St. John thanked OETIO for hosting the students and added, “This is the coolest training centre we come to, the stuff the kids get to do and see here is just unbelievable. It’s a unique experience and we really appreciate OETIO opening up its facilities to us.”

Young people on the program try many different trades during their 12-week course, after which they are placed in a registered apprenticeship in their chosen trade.

Their visit to OETIO certainly left a big impression on Class 61, with participant Devonte Haye especially excited by the prospect of a career as an Operating Engineer.

He said, “I worked as a general craftworker last summer doing asphalt and I realized then that non-Union jobs were just a dead-end. 

“We’ve had the chance to try a few trades so far – finishing trades, elevators, boilermakers – but, honestly, I’m liking this because I’m able to operate a big machine. I’ve been doing quite well at the tasks so far, so it’s a definite possibility.”

OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship Jeff Hewitt told the students, “We have three Hammer Heads in our Institute right now and they’re all great apprentices, so I certainly appreciate what the Hammer Heads are doing.”

In the picture (L to R): Jeff Hewitt, OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship, Dave Viggiani, OETIO Senior Instructor, James St. John, COBT Business Manager and Hammer Heads Director and Peter Reed, former COBT Business Rep.

In the picture (L to R): Jeff Hewitt, OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship, Dave Viggiani, OETIO Senior Instructor, James St. John, COBT Business Manager and Hammer Heads Director and Peter Reed, former COBT Business Rep.

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Hammer Head trainees in the OETIO simulation room.

Hammer Head trainees in the OETIO simulation room.

Hammer Head students with Jeff Hewitt, OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship, Dave Viggiani, OETIO Senior Instructor, and Peter Reed, former COBT Business Rep.

Hammer Head students with Jeff Hewitt, OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship, Dave Viggiani, OETIO Senior Instructor, and Peter Reed, former COBT Business Rep.

In the picture (L to R): Jeff Hewitt, OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship, Dave Viggiani, OETIO Senior Instructor, James St. John, COBT Business Manager and Hammer Heads Director and Peter Reed, former COBT Business Rep. IMG_2067 IMG_2071 Hammer Head trainees in the OETIO simulation room. Hammer Head students with Jeff Hewitt, OETIO Director of Training and Apprenticeship, Dave Viggiani, OETIO Senior Instructor, and Peter Reed, former COBT Business Rep.