Experiential learning and apprenticeship opportunities are essential for building the skilled workforce Ontario needs. For Jeff Hunter, Line Supervisor
The Skilled Trades Regional Networks is a collaborative project between the Ministry of Education, ApprenticeSearch.com, and Skills Ontario. Together, these partners work with school boards and employers to expand experiential learning opportunities in the skilled trades and promote best practices, such as this inspirational story.
Experiential learning and apprenticeship opportunities are essential for building the skilled workforce Ontario needs. For Jeff Hunter, Line Supervisor in the Electrical Department at Orangeville Hydro, the value of these opportunities isn’t theoretical—it’s personal.
Jeff’s career began the same way many trades careers do: with hands-on experience, mentorship, and a willingness to learn.
Today, after decades in the industry, he’s helping the next generation of tradespeople get their start.
A Career That Started with Hands-On Learning
Jeff’s introduction to the electrical trade came early. His father was a hydro lineman, and Jeff was exposed to the work long before entering the workforce.
“I always kind of laugh,” Jeff says. “I say I got into this trade kicking and screaming in the middle of the night.”
As a teenager, Jeff often accompanied his father on jobs. One experience in particular stands out.
“I remember a car hitting a pole at night and my dad waking me up at about two in the morning and saying, ‘Let’s go, you’re going to work.’ We went out and changed a pole at Shelburne Hydro.”
Those early experiences sparked an interest that would eventually shape his career.
Co-op: The First Step Toward a Career
Jeff’s formal entry into the industry began with a high school co-op.
“I ended up getting a high school co-op here in Orangeville Hydro,” he explains. “I started in February of 1989, and I was doing everything. It was great. I loved it.”
After his co-op term, Jeff stayed on as a summer student before beginning his apprenticeship with Richmond Hill Hydro. From there, he progressed through the ranks of apprentice, journeyman, crew foreman, and eventually supervisor.
Looking back, Jeff sees co-op as one of the most important early steps in building a career in the trades.
“For the students, it’s so important for the exposure,” he says. “In the trade environment, you don’t learn the majority of your stuff in a textbook; you learn it from doing it.”
Learning by Doing
Throughout his career, Jeff has seen firsthand how apprentices develop confidence through real-world experience.
“We always say we learn way more from messing things up than we do from getting it right,” he explains. “You learn by making mistakes.”
That philosophy continues today as he mentors new workers and co-op students.
Jeff recalls a recent example of a co-op student who faced a challenge that pushed her outside her comfort zone. He supervised her through the task and helped her see how capable she was in her own right.
“At the end of the day, she said, ‘That was so much fun,’ because she’d had to make her own decisions.”
Experiences like these are where real learning happens.
Why Employers Benefit from Co-op and Apprenticeships
For employers, experiential learning opportunities, such as co-op placements, are also a valuable recruitment tool.
“It allows you to interview potential candidates over time,” Jeff explains. “If someone doesn’t show up in the morning, you can’t hide that for eight months. If they’ve got a bad attitude, it’s going to come out.”
By working alongside students, employers can identify strong candidates and invest in future talent.
“You know what you’re getting when you hire them,” he says. “It’s not just someone walking in off the street.”
Preparing the Next Generation of Skilled Trades Workers
Jeff believes the demand for skilled workers in the electrical utility sector will only continue to grow. Much of North America’s electrical infrastructure is aging and will require significant renewal.
“If you drive across North America and look at the electrical infrastructure, chances are the poles and wires you see are 50 to 70 years old,” he explains.
At the same time, electrification — including electric vehicles — will place even greater demand on the power grid.
“Our entire electric network will need to be rebuilt,” Jeff says. “There’s going to be lots and lots of work.”
For students considering a career in the skilled trades, that means strong opportunities ahead.
Investing in the Future
Despite the challenges of training apprentices in smaller utilities, Jeff remains committed to supporting experiential learning opportunities whenever possible.
“Take extras,” he advises other employers considering co-op placements or apprenticeships. “You’re going to need them in the future.”
For Jeff, offering opportunities to students is about more than workforce development; it’s about giving others the same chance he once had.
His own career began with a co-op placement and a willingness to learn by doing. Today, he’s helping ensure the next generation of skilled trades workers can do the same.
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