Red Seal by 19?
As a kid, Azurah (who goes by Zera) Herbert-McMyn, gravitated to creating things with her hands. She loved to work in the welding shop and did lots of welding projects with her grandpa.
Now, at not quite 20 years old, and thanks to being able to take college trades courses and work on her apprenticeship while attending A.L. Fortune Secondary School in Enderby, Zera has graduated high school and successfully completed all of the training, exams and apprenticeship hours to be a Red Seal Welder.
Zera’s very proud grandmother, Mary McMyn, said Zera worked very hard to complete this and she hopes others will be inspired to take advantage of this trade path open to high school students. Mary also wanted to give credit to A.L. Fortune school staff and the career program for helping Zera attain this. “Being a Red Seal and not quite 20 is pretty nice,” Mary said.
“I always knew I wanted to go into the trades,” Zera commented. “I took every shop class in school, including welding, metal art and autobody.”
In Grade 9 the career coordinator at A.L. Fortune, Michelle Hall, asked Zera if she would be interested in applying for a dual-credit welding “C level” course through the Salmon Arm Trades Campus of Okanagan College which would run from August to January of her Grade 11 year.
Industry Training Authority Youth Trades Programs
SD83 Career Programs offers opportunities for youth.
Zera decided to sign up and turned 16 just a week before she started the course, the youngest person enrolled. “Because I applied in Grade 9 I managed to plan out all of my academic courses. It was a lot of work but I got it all done.”
That year she also had the opportunity to compete in Skills Canada in Kamloops where she won a silver.
After completing the C Level Welding she got a part time job at the Prop Shop in Enderby, welding boat propellers. Now in Grade 12, with the help of the high school, she applied for B Level welding courses. She said she was told it was rare for anyone in high school to be accepted into B Level, however she managed to get accepted and had to go to Kelowna from March until June of her Grade 12 year to take it.
She said A.L. Fortune staff were very helpful and supportive in making the opportunity work for her and she was able to complete the course and make it to her graduation. “But not the rehearsal,” she laughs. “I had to rely on the others to tell me what to do.” One pleasant surprise at graduation was Zera won three scholarships.
With her schooling complete, Zera then needed apprenticeship hours in her goal to complete her Red Seal. She was hired by Adam Integrated in Salmon Arm where, in July, she recently completed her apprenticeship hours, overseen by Journeyperson Eldon Crandlemire.
“It’s been great working at Adam. There are five welders (including one other woman) and it’s been really nice to have so many other experienced and skilled welders to help me learn.”
The paperwork has been sent to the Industry Training Authority (ITA) to grant Zera her Red Seal.
“I’m not sure how long it will take but I’m really hoping it comes before I turn 20 on August 3,” she smiles.