The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) is a School to Work program that opens the door for students to explore and work in apprenticeship occupations starting in Grade 11 or Grade 12 through the Cooperative Education program.

Students have an opportunity to become registered apprentices and work towards becoming certified journeypersons in a skilled trade while simultaneously completing their secondary school diplomas.

The goals of OYAP are:

• To provide students with the opportunity to begin training in a skilled trade while completing the requirements for their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD);
• To enable students to make the school to work transition by direct entry into apprenticeship training;
• To provide employers with the opportunity to train the skilled workers they require;
• To offer a viable solution to address the problem of skilled tradespeople shortages, and specifically the lack of young people considering the trades as a possible career choice.