Delta Secondary School graduate Riley, who has completed Level 1 of the Heavy Duty Mechanic Work in Trades program, rates it as the “best thing he could have done while in high school.”
Riley has long held an interest in mechanics. “I’ve always loved working on machinery and seeing how things work.” Riley encourages anyone considering a career in the trades to talk to their school’s career counsellor to find out what options are available to them. “Once you know the trade you are interested in, find an employer, show them you have a positive attitude and the ability and willingness to learn, and you’ll be on your way to a great career path.”
He was the youngest in his class when he started the Work in Trades program at Delta Secondary School while in Grade 10. “I started by getting familiar with everything and then gradually moved onto doing oil changes and repairs. I’m now working on anything on a machine that you can see and touch! I do a lot of preventative maintenance work as well as repairs. There are new and different challenges every day which means I have to think outside the box. It’s exciting being able to learn on the job and apply it in real life.”
Riley’s plan is to become a fully certified Red Seal Heavy Duty Mechanic, and he is well on his way to achieving this. He plans to start Level 2 Heavy Duty Mechanics at BCIT in the fall having completed more than 3,500 hours of work experience to date.
