Grade 13 Opens a New Pathway into the Skilled Trades

For some students, graduation doesn’t mean they are ready to leave high school behind. It can be an opportunity to take one more year to build skills, explore a career pathway and gain a head start on post-secondary education and apprenticeship training.

This year, Chinook’s Edge School Division is offering eligible students a Grade 13 Year 4 Skilled Trades pathway in partnership with CACI,  the Central Alberta Collegiate Institute.

The pilot provides students with the opportunity to complete Period One technical training in Pre-Employment Welding while remaining connected to their school division. The program began Sept. 29 and runs through Dec. 18, 2026, at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology.

Students spend their first semester immersed in hands-on technical learning, working with industry-standard equipment and developing the practical skills required in their chosen trade.

For these students, the experience is about more than earning another course credit. It is an opportunity to begin building a pathway toward apprenticeship while gaining experience in a post-secondary learning environment.

Students completing the Pre-Employment Welding program work toward their first-period technical training requirements and prepare for their Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) examinations. The program also provides opportunities to earn post-secondary credits through the Dual Credit partnership with Olds College.

“Dual Credit courses give students a leg up in terms of time,” says Nick Fetterly, Dual Credit Welding Instructor. “It teaches students at a young age that good things come from effort. It’s hard to learn new skills, so sticking to it and putting forward effort readies them for real life as an adult looking to gain employment.” 

The program is designed to help make post-secondary technical training more accessible to eligible students. Tuition is funded for eligible Chinook’s Edge Dual Credit students, while students are responsible for applicable material and textbook costs.

The partnership also provides students with continued support from Chinook’s Edge while they learn in a post-secondary environment. This combination of high school support, college-level technical training and hands-on experience creates a bridge between secondary school and the world of work.

For students who have discovered that they enjoy working with their hands, solving practical problems and learning a skilled trade, Grade 13 can provide an additional pathway toward their future.

The Grade 13 Skilled Trades pathway is one example of how Chinook’s Edge, through its CACI partnerships, continues to expand opportunities for students beyond the traditional high school experience—helping students explore careers, earn credentials and build pathways into their futures.

For information about eligibility and future Grade 13 Skilled Trades opportunities, students and families can connect with their school Career Counsellor.