Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)

The Ontario Youth and Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) allows high school students to get a jump-start on a career in the skilled trades. It consists of a hands-on practical approach to education. Students can take a Co-op in the skilled trades or, in their final semester of grade 12, participate in the OYAP Regional Level 1 program.

Coop Placement in Skilled Trades

If you are completing an apprenticeship placement through cooperative education or a Special High Skills Major, you are an OYAP student. To apply for an apprenticeship, you must:

Be 15 years of age (16 for a construction site)
Have completed 14 credits towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
Have good academic standing and excellent attendance

OYAP - Focused Apprenticeship - starting September 2025

The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) - Focused Apprenticeship program is an accelerated stream within OYAP that will allow students in Grades 11 and 12 to participate in more apprenticeship learning through additional Co-operative Education (Co-op) credits while completing their OSSD.

To complete this program, you will be required to earn 8-11 Co-op credits with your Co-op placement in the skilled trades, register as an OYAP apprentice by the time you complete your eighth Co-op credit, and meet all other OSSD requirements, to be awarded the OYAP-Focused Apprenticeship Blue seal on your OSSD diploma.

Each OYAP-Focused Apprenticeship block is 2 credits. You can select OYAP-Focused Apprenticeship more than once and will need to have a minimum of 4 blocks between grade 11 and 12. (For example, 4 credits in grade 11 and 4 in grade 12 = 8)

To participate in OYAP Focused Apprenticeship, students must meet the OYAP eligibility requirements:

Be at least 15 years of age or older.
Have completed 14 credits toward the OSSD.
Be enrolled as a part-time/full-time student in a secondary school or continuing education.
Complete an OYAP Participation Form during a co-operative education placement in a skilled trade.
Have signed parent/guardian consent form if student is under 18 years old.

To complete OYAP-Focused Apprenticeship, students must:

Earn 8 to 11 coop credits with their placement component in the skilled trades.
Register as an apprentice by securing a RTA before completing an 8th coop credit.

*For current grade 10 and 11 students, coop earned can count toward two of their Group 1,2 and 3 compulsory credits.

Students who complete the Focused Apprenticeship program will have a blue seal on their Ontario Secondary School Diploma indicating their participation in this enhanced apprenticeship pathway.

Limitations and considerations for the post-secondary pathway

Students and their parents and/or guardians are strongly encouraged to research post-secondary options before applying for this program. Some college and university programs may have prerequisite courses that may be difficult to complete due to scheduling conflicts when participating in the Focused Apprenticeship program. Students enrolled in this program must be confident that they are choosing the Skilled Trades for their post-secondary destination.

Students who meet the above completion requirements and all other OSSD requirements will be awarded the OYAP-FAST blue seal on their OSSD, and the program will be listed in the Specialized Program field of the Ontario Student Transcript (OST). If a student has already been granted an OSSD, it cannot be exchanged for an OSSD with the OYAP- Focused Apprenticeship seal.

OYAP - Focused Apprenticeship Application

For more information on OYAP or the Focused Apprenticeship program, please contact:

The Cooperative Education and/or Guidance department at your secondary school.
DDSB OYAP recruiter jillian.broadley@ddsb.ca.

OYAP Level 1 Program Information

View the Level 1 OYAP information presentation.

The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) provides students with the opportunity to begin an apprenticeship while still attending secondary school. Students participate in the Level 1 program while in their final semester of Grade 12, however; the application process and interviews for desired spots in the program begins in Grade 11.

Applications are due Friday, April 11, 2025 @ 4:00 p.m. - Application link is available under Next Steps tab.

Why Three OYAP's?

OYAP Participant - allows students to participate in a skilled trades co-op. This is a fantastic opportunity as the student can make workplace connections and develop skills while earning co-op credits and hours/competencies that may count towards their future apprenticeship.
OYAP RTA - If a student has an employer that wants to sign a Registered Training Agreement, the student can start counting their hours/competencies as an Apprentice in high school. I recommend this OR participant over the Level 1 program for students that tend to learn better in a hands-on environment. The Level 1 program is condensed theoretical learning, and students may have up to 5 years to complete their levels of training (trade dependent), which is also funded by the MLITSD when they exit high school.
Level 1 OYAP - This program is part time at a College or Training Delivery Agent and part time at a co-op placement (apprenticeship). It is very demanding as the program is condensed. There is an application process and it is highly competitive. If a student is comfortable with long days of theoretical or applied knowledge at an adult pace, we recommend this program for them.

2026 Level 1 Apprenticeship Programs*
Trade	Partnered With	Host Site
Automotive Service Technician	Durham College	Durham College, Whitby
Cook	Durham College	Durham College, Whitby
Electrician	Durham College	Durham College, Whitby
Industrial Mechanic Millwright	Durham College	Durham College, Whitby
Plumber	Durham College	Durham College, Whitby
Welder	Durham College	Durham College, Whitby
Hairstylist	Durham District SB	Durham Hairstylist Academy, Oshawa
General Carpenter	Fleming College	Fleming College, Peterborough
Electrician	Fleming College	Fleming College, Peterborough
General Carpenter Local 27	College of Carpenters, Local 27	M.J. Pereyma, Oshawa
Construction Craft Worker	LiUNA, Local 183	LiUNA, Cobourg Location

* All OYAP Regional Level 1 programs are subject to change. Programs with insufficient enrollment may be cancelled.

** All programs require a minimum grade of 70% in each module to complete/ pass the Level 1 Training.

Program Details

Level 1 OYAP programs are regular apprenticeships that include the first level of in-school training at participating College/Training Delivery Agent; Durham College (Whitby Trade Center), Fleming College, Pereyma, LiUNA(Cobourg location) or the Durham Hairstylist Academy.

Students will earn 1–3 Dual Credits for the time spent at College or Training Delivery Agent in the Level 1 program. These credits will count toward both their OSSD and their Level 1 Apprenticeship.

Cooperative Education credits are granted for time spent at the workplace to a maximum of 4 combined credits earned in the final semester of a student’s Grade 12 year.

In-school training hours do not count toward the total apprenticeship hours. However, hours spent in the workplace must be carefully documented, as they would be a negotiable item between the Employer and the Apprentice to be considered toward the total apprenticeship hour requirement.

Students are encouraged to focus on obtaining the necessary skills required to complete their apprenticeship. Each apprentice is provided with a Training Standards booklet that is used to record their competencies and skill-sets.

Students require approval of a Registered Training Agreement (RTA) signed between the Employer, the Apprentice and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) to attend the Level 1 in-school training.

While in the Program, students attend the participating College/Training Delivery Agent (Durham College, Fleming College, Pereyma, LiUNA (Cobourg location), or the Durham Hairstylist Academy) as per their schedule.

Work placements are arranged through your home school’s Cooperative Education Department with the student providing input where possible.
Cooperative Education teachers are responsible for monitoring the student at placements.

Additional Information

Costs associated with Level 1 (tuition, textbooks, and PPE’s), are covered by the school Board. Items not covered are personal safety boots (as required); these are the students’ responsibility. Gas and parking may not be covered.
Students who have more than three unexcused absences from the College/Training Delivery Agent may be removed from the Program.
Students are expected to treat their employers and co-workers with respect and adhere to all Cooperative Education guidelines.
Level 1 OYAP students that are offered a seat in this competitive program are expected to be mature and fully committed to the program.
Student, and parents /guardians will be required to attend an information session prior to the start date of the program.
Participation in the program requires a signed RTA (Registered Training Agreement) prior to the start of the program. Deadlines will be communicated to your school.
Successful students will need a Social Insurance Number to proceed with the next step. If you do not have a SIN number, you must apply for one via the Government of Canada's website.

Next Steps

All successful applicants will be notified through their COOP teacher if they have been selected for an interview. Interviews will take place virtually on video sharing app We Video, students will have approximately one week to submit their interviews. New this year, students will have the option to request a live, on-line interview. More information will follow.

All students will be notified of the status of their application (accepted, denied or placed on the waitlist) by May, by their Cooperative Education Teachers.

Important to note, the Level One OYAP opportunity is like a scholarship for the Skilled Trades. The available spots are split between five school boards. If you are not successful in securing a spot, there is an alternative, speak with your COOP teacher about a 4 period COOP with a Registered Training Agreement (RTA).

Visit your Coop office and request the OYAP Level 1 Application information package which contains detailed instructions of items to prepare (including the questions you will need to answer) prior to beginning your online application. Before submitting your application, you, and your parent/guardian (if under 18) will need to sign the application.

Applications deadline: Friday, April 11, 2025 @ 4:00 p.m.

OYAP Level 1 Application

Resources

Testimonial

Watch this video to learn the student benefits of OYAP.