Interest: Not all students are academic learners, some  have been told to sit still and stop moving around all though their school experience and finally in a hands on program they are free to move around and create. When I was in high school I did not do exceptionally well academically, after high school I started my apprentice ship in cooking and was able to thrive; I worked lots of hours, went to college, competed in various culinary competitions, completed an apprenticeship and earned journeyman status.  The purpose of any school is to prepare students for their future however, this does not mean exclusively academic pursuits, it can also mean trades related knowledge. Skills learned in a hands on-work environment can help prepare students for the work world by teaching a healthy work ethic, how to work in a group/team, responsibility, time management, and leadership.  The confidence of a student can flourish with the satisfaction knowing they have done a good job or completed a project by themselves.  I personally really enjoy the diversity of the learners and the challenging personalities that elective programs attract. Some of the students that are placed into trades programs are there simply because administration has nowhere else to put them due to behaviour problems, failing other courses etc.  I was one of these students, therefore, I relate to them extremely well.  Furthermore, some of the more challenging learners become the best students in these programs.  Being a mentor and guiding the development of young people, seeing them grow, mature and develop new skills is very rewarding and self-satisfying.