PATP IT Network Hardware Customer Service Technician

Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program (PATP) - Try a Trade Stream:

Primary Trade:
- IT Network Technician
Secondary Trades:
- IT Hardware Technician
- IT Contact Centre Customer Service Agent

Introduction to Information Technology Try a Trade Project

Background:

The Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program equips Indigenous youth with the essential workplace, technical, and employability skills required to enter an IT apprenticeship. This program is designed to support aspiring apprentices who may need job readiness training, basic industrial certifications and trade-specific experience in information technology. Through training in IT, Workplace Essential Skills, Service Excellence and hands-on work placements, participants gain valuable experience that prepares them for future apprenticeships and helps them explore potential IT career paths. There is also an opportunity to gain 2-3 high school credits (if required).

Leads:

Objectives:

Address a labour shortage in high-demand trades
Increase exposure to the skilled trades
Support potential entrants to apprenticeship training who require job readiness skills and experience to gain employment as apprentices, and
Help individuals to prepare for long-term employment in the skilled trades by bridging the gap between the skills people have and the skills employers are seeking.

Total Participants: 20

Age: 16-29 years

Training Project Components for up to 29 or 40 weeks as required:

Orientation Day & Pre-Learning Assessment (in-person – 2 days / 5 hours per day)
Workplace Essential Skills (in-person or virtual / duration 4 weeks hours per day; Thunder up to 5 hours per day)
Introduction to Information Technology (IT) Training (virtually - 10 weeks / 3 days per week – 3-5 hours per day; with optional in-person sessions)
Land-Based Experiential Learning (In-person – Gerald Roy Jolly Ranch – 93 Smart Road, Kakabeka Falls, ON – 2 days per month TBD)
Service Excellence Training (in-person - 4 days – 4 to 5 hours per day; Thunder Bay, ON)
WHMIS / AODA Training (virtual – 1 day)
Paid Work Placements (minimum 8 weeks / maximum 12 weeks - $3,000 per learner under the funding agreement; placements can occur during training, after training is completed or both)
Post-Learning Assessments (in-person - 2 days – 3 to 4 hours per day)
Honoring Student Succes & Issuance of Certificates (1 day optional)

Duration:

The above duration and components of the Pre-Apprenticeship IT Training Program are flexible and can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your community and learners. The program delivery can range up to maximum of 40 weeks. The proposed schedule is approximately 29 weeks.

Financial Supports:

Participants may receive stipends for program participation and/or dependent care (measured by attendance – up to a max of 20 weeks of training) and have the opportunity for an 8 to 12-week paid work placement. The maximum available participant supports is TBD.
The maximum available targeted wage subsidy is $250 per week or $3,000 per participant / 8 weeks.
AETS Elder and Tutor and Transportation Support, related Supplies, Safety Gear and IT Tool Kits.

Project Staff:

Delivery Schedule:

Project Activity	Duration	Dates (estimate)
Orientation and Introduction Essential Skills Pre-Assessment (in-person/ virtual)	2 days	Sept 8-9/2026
Workplace Essential Skills (ideally in-person / can be virtual)	4 weeks (2 days per week – Thursday/Friday) 10 am – 2:30/3pm with ½ hour – 1hour lunch	Sept 11 – Oct 9/2026
Land-based Learning Days (in-person)	2 days per month on Wednesdays	Sept 10 – March 2026 (TBD)
Job & Career Readiness (in-person) Service Excellence WHMIS & AODA	3 days 4 days 1 day (10am – 3 pm)	Oct 13 -21/2026
IT Training (virtual)	10 weeks Min 3days per week	Oct 22/2026 – Jan15/ 2027
Essential Skills Post-Assessment (in-person/ virtual)	2 days	Jan 18/2027
Work placements	8 -12 weeks max Max subsidy $3,000 per participant / $250 per week	Part-time – can be 2 days per week during WES /IT training or Full-time Jan 19– March 2027
Honoring Student Success (optional)	1 day	March 2027