Second year farm equipment technician apprentice Mike Walsh, left, shows St.Columban Grade 8 student Patricia Schicker how to replace an air filter on the tractor motor.

by Paul Cluff, Staff reporter for The Beacon Herald

Industry needs more people like Mike Walsh. There is a general shortage of skilled trades workers in the province and across the country and the same holds true for Mr. Walsh's line of work.

Mr. Walsh is in his second year of an apprenticeship as a farm equipment technician at Stratford Farm Equipment and the 19 year-old had a chance to talk about his line of work at a technical education open house for Grade 8 students held this week at St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Stratford.

"I wanted to stay involved in something related to farming. When it came to decide, this was something I was interested in," said Mr. Walsh, who was raised on a farm. Stratford Farm Equipment donated a McCormack MTX 125 tractor for the day, a massive sight among the modest-sized motor vehicles at the open house.

Students took turns climbing aboard, sitting in the cabin and asking questions. Farm equipment technicians at Stratford Farm Equipment are always busy, he says, and various problems need fixing when the tractors and other equipment are brought in.

"It's usually something different each time. Oil leaks, replacing seals and gaskets. We do everything. We get into a lot of different stuff." "You have to have a lot of patience and be good at working with your hands."

Mr. Walsh attends Fanshawe College for the program and in between work stints he heads to the classroom for eight weeks at a time. He'll log 7,000 work hours by the time he's finished his apprenticeship and earns a certificate of qualification.

Kevin Barlow, a transportation tech teacher at St. Michael, said the open house in an eye opener for incoming students thinking about skilled trades programs and possibly, careers. "We're trying to get more people involved...in all skilled trades," he said. "Demand for jobs is unbelievable."

Mr. Walsh agrees, and he encourages those with an interest in the farming technician program and skilled trades in general to pursue them. "if you want to get into this (this type of work) there are plenty of job opportunities." he said.