Finding Success Through OYAP and the Skills Development Fund

CLAC is supporting the next generation of skilled trades students across Ontario

Finding meaningful co-op placements can be a real challenge for many high school students—especially those attending private, faith-based, or online schools. Thanks to the CLAC OYAP for Independent Schools Program, delivered in partnership with Edvance and funded by Ontario’s Skills Development Fund (SDF), more students than ever before are getting the chance to explore rewarding careers in the skilled trades.

Since its original launch, the program has supported 365 students across the province in gaining valuable hands-on experience in construction and other trades. Through this initiative, students receive help securing co-op placements, ongoing support throughout their work experience, and preparation for a safe and successful transition into the workforce.

Each participant also completes essential safety training such as Working at Heights and receives appropriate seasonal workwear and PPE—ensuring that they are fully equipped to learn and work safely on the job.

One example of the program’s impact is Naaman Milton, a student who completed his carpentry co-op through the CLAC OYAP for Independent Schools Program. With the program’s support, Naaman was able to gain valuable hands-on experience, develop a deeper understanding of his trade, and smoothly transition from student to apprentice after graduation.

“Naaman is focused, hard-working, and a definite fit for the trade of carpentry,” says Ronald Holland, cooperative-education teacher at Nimbus Christian Education. “To hear him speak about the new things he’s learned in his carpentry work is to realize he is truly living his dream.”

Naaman’s story mirrors the experience of many other students who have benefited from this program. By connecting youth with real-world trade experience, the CLAC OYAP for Independent Schools Program helps build confidence, professional skills, and a clearer sense of career direction.

With the continued support of Ontario’s Skills Development Fund, the program is opening doors for students who might otherwise struggle to find a pathway into the trades—filling an important gap in recruitment and training for the next generation of skilled workers.

Finding meaningful co-op placements can be difficult, but through the OYAP Program, students not only find opportunities—they thrive in them. For many, it’s their first step into the construction industry and the start of a lifelong career.

CLAC is proud to continue supporting these opportunities and to help develop a stronger, more inclusive skilled-trades workforce across Ontario.

Naaman Milton, pictured with his father, Shannon Milton, received a CLAC Edvance Skilled Trades Bursary Award for 2025.

Finding Success Through OYAP and the Skills Development Fund

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