Canada/Techno-Concept: A Unique Model for Motivating Young People

A student-run business in Baie-Saint-Paul will be designing the sets for Festif! for the second year in a row. In addition to providing services to several local organizations, Techno-Concept encourages students who are behind in their studies to complete their education. And this model is unique in Quebec.

To combat school dropout rates, the Saint-Aubin Educational Center (CÉSA) has developed a winning formula: a design and fabrication workshop.

“Whether it’s programming, building, sometimes tasks that require more fine motor skills, or sometimes tasks that require more perseverance, the students discover a bit more about themselves through the student-run enterprise,” explains Éric Simard, a teacher at CÉSA’s Remedial Unit and at Techno-Concept.

Students in the UR, as they call it, alternate between academic classes, technical projects, and outdoor excursions. For nearly 25 years, the program has remained innovative in the province.

“It’s a program we developed ourselves; it’s not something that exists within the Ministry of Education. It was really the school that decided to establish this structure to prevent students from dropping out,” explains Mr. Simard.

Word of mouth has led several Charlevoix businesses to collaborate with the workshop. And for the past two years, its creations have been particularly prominent at the Festif! in Baie-Saint-Paul.

Its general and artistic director, Clément Turgeon, is delighted with the partnership. “We’re starting to do more and more set design. We had custom furniture made—about a hundred folding wooden chairs. Anything is possible with this group. It’s truly professional work.”

For Festif, as for other clients, doing business with the student-run company has economic value, but above all, moral value. “It just strengthens our connection with the community even more. We’re just a few minutes from the workshops, so we save on transportation costs, and we’re supporting a local business—it’s right in line with our mission,” notes Clément Turgeon.

Nearly 400 students have gone through the program. The success rate is 90%.

“When we see these young people again—who are now electricians, working in construction, or in other trades—they often tell us: 'Thank goodness I had UR, because that’s what allowed me to finish high school and then move on to my vocational training,'" concludes Éric Simard.

Source: cimtchau.ca/nouvelles/