“Bumpy” students in accelerated construction training: frequent absentees, they still pocket $750 a week

We learned that absentee students are still being paid $750 a week to follow accelerated construction training News magazine.

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According to teachers who spoke to our parliamentary office, it is not uncommon for students to appear once or twice a week in a shortened course during the first months, which allows them to learn the basics of the five construction trades.

The four- to six-month training courses are paid at $25 an hour and are aimed at reducing labor shortages on construction sites. Cohorts that started earlier in the year have just ended, while others are ongoing.

“There are people who saw the error: they missed one day, then another and realized there was no cut in their subsidy, so they told themselves the buffet was open” , says Sebastian*, a carpenter and carpentry teacher. Teaches in the area.

“After two months, we've already started seeing some people coming one or two days a week, which is really nonsense,” insists the man, who wishes to keep his real name quiet for fear of reprisals.

Some students are not interested in training, but only financial assistance. Some institutions and educational service centers have to be suppressed and sometimes the youth are excluded.

The Let's move

“Some Let's move In the end they saw a way to game the system, not come out with a merit card, because that's not what they wanted, it was really a check.

If we rely on the evidence we have received, a very widespread phenomenon. “Many students do not attend classes, others give up their attendance and leave,” asserts another, who does not hesitate to talk about “50%” attendance of classes in some cases.

While absenteeism is a recurring problem in vocational training programs, it needs to be better monitored in this context as it has public funds, said stakeholders interviewed.

“For each cohort, we have four to five problematic students with 30% absenteeism, and usually the majority of students miss between 10% and 15% of training. Students are paid the same,” points out Alexandre* from the Montreal School of Construction Trades.

Never touched a hammer in their lives

According to a Montreal professor, between 80 and 85% of students selected for accelerated construction training “have never touched a hammer in their lives”. Hence attendance of classes is very important. Especially graduates are not required to work on construction sites.

While CSSs do not have a clear policy for attendance, others have adopted rules in response to the increasing number of absenteeism cases. “Some gave up on their own, but others had to be intervened by the management,” said a teacher. Out of a team of 88, we eventually made it to 70.

Financing after graduation

According to teachers, the fact that CSS receives funding only after the youths graduate may have encouraged the management to turn a blind eye to the lack of attendance.

At the Ministry of Education, it is stated that the responsibility of managing absences rests with the educational institutions. “He is [le CSS] The ministry should be informed within 48 hours of the student leaving so that payments can be stopped as soon as possible,” it argued.

* Fictitious first names at the request of sources who testified on the condition of anonymity

The absence of a variable is tolerance

Due to lack of attendance of the students, the service centers of some schools had to pull out the sticks. Tolerance for absence varies from place to place.

At CSS des Affluents in Lanadier, students are required to sign an employment contract from day one. The tolerance level for absence is set at 10%.

“They need 90% mandatory attendance,” said Eric Ladouceur, general director. Many students received warnings, but only one was expelled for poor attendance.

The Pierre-Dupuy Training Center in Longueuil offered AEPs in Refrigeration and Carpentry-Joinery. Absences for obtaining certificates are between 32 hours and 35 hours out of 630 hours and 705 hours respectively or 5% of training hours.

“However, these guidelines do not apply to students who submit supporting and acceptable medical documents,” explained Genevieve Cormier from CSS Marie-Victorin. Of the 46 students enrolled at CFP Pierre-Dupuy, three were excluded for too many absences.

As of June 24, 703 students have graduated, according to the Ministry of Education. In total, only 4,000 students were enrolled in the targeted AEPs.

According to the Ministry of Employment, to date, no fewer than 603 people who started training have not completed it, including voluntary departures and attendance issues. “We have terminated payment to these participants where applicable.”

Examples of attendance rules imposed on students

Wealthy School Service Center in Llanaudier

• Students are required to sign an engagement agreement from day one.
• 90% attendance in classes is compulsory.
• Many warnings were given during the training.
• Only one student was expelled for poor attendance.

Marie-Victorine School Service Center – Pierre-Dupuy Training Center, in Longueuil

• Maximum number of absences
  fixed at 5%.
• These tags do not apply to students who submit supporting and acceptable medical documentation.
• Three of the 46 enrolled students were excluded due to non-attendance.

Government data

• By June 24, 703 students Graduated.
• In total, slightly less than 4000 students are included in the targeted AEPs.
• 603 people Those who started training did not complete, including those with voluntary departure and attendance problems.