Barrhead’s Dylan George is a future teacher

BARRHEAD –One local man is using a provincial program to leverage his carpentry background to become a trades teacher. 

At the Dec. 18 Pembina Hills School Division board meeting Dylan George was invited to speak about his sponsorship and progress in the Bridge to Teacher Certification Program.

The program enables trades journeymen to use their knowledge to become teachers in Career and Technology Studies.

The Pembina Hills School Division is sponsoring George in this program as they anticipate a vacancy coming up.

“It's just been a blast. I'm just loving this,” said George. 

George went to school and achieved his journeyman carpenter certificate and worked as a carpenter for years. The father was in a bad accident where he broke his neck and fractured his sternum in 2017. 

George focused on his recovery and decided to get back in carpentry, deciding to start his own business which he ran for five years. Doctors advised him that, because of his injuries and the permanent damage, he should not continue to practice his trade.

George’s wife, Kyla, found the Bridge to Teacher Certification program, and they investigated how to apply for it.

George had to work hard upgrading his English and completing three other credits to qualify for the program and was doing undergrad courses at the same time.

Currently George has 87 credits completed of 120 needed to complete the program, having started courses in 2022.

“I've always wanted to be a teacher I just didn't think I was smart enough to pull it off in the early years,” said George.

He has secured a temporary position as an Education Assistant covering for medical leave while he continues his work in the Bridge to Teacher Certification program.

His family is supportive of this transformational opportunity for George. George married Kyla, a Barrhead girl in 2009, and they have six children and two grandchildren.

Kyla landed a job in Fort Saskatchewan and drives three hours a day while George manages the kids and the household in addition to his schoolwork.

He expects to complete the program in another year and after that George can teach anywhere and is not limited to working with the Pembina Hills School Division.

He told the board that he is not looking at other opportunities, as Barrhead is his home.

“It's been an amazing experience,” said George.

Part of the program is that George can complete two practicums to be granted his Letter of Authority which will entitle him to work in other areas that just the Careers and Technology Studies areas of teaching.

Pembina Hills School Division has applied for the Letter of Authority, and they are waiting for the confirmation.

Once George completes the program, he will have earned his Bachelor of Education degree.

The Alberta Government, the Alberta Teachers Association, and University of Alberta are all part of the program creation for George.

The Alberta Government website identifies this as a one-year program to aid school authorities in getting the education for journeyman trades people to become teachers. 

More information is available on the government website.