Karen Kloibhofer
Karen Kloibhofer was a Fanshawe College employee who worked with the apprenticeship programs for most of her tenure at Fanshawe. She was instrumental in developing relationships in the community to support apprentice students.
After she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Karen and her husband Perry decided to establish the Karen Kloibhofer Tools of the Trade Award. Karen was passionate about skilled trades and apprenticeship, and she knew the barriers that students often face in completing their education.
Impact
Though Karen passed away in August 2019, her legacy will live on. The Karen Kloibhofer Tools of the Trade Award is presented to a Motive Power Apprentice student at Fanshawe who has completed Level 2 and is progressing to Level 3 of the apprenticeship program. The recipient must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher and exemplify the skills and knowledge learned during apprenticeship.
“To be a good skilled tradesperson, you must first be an apprentice. You need to be a hands-on, kinaesthetic learner, as well as a high functioning college level student, who has the confidence and the patience to work side-by-side each day with mentors who want to pass along the skills of their craft to the next generation. So much goes into making a great skilled tradesperson: time, passion, commitment, trust, confidence and, last but not least, money. You need money to live, to go to school, to get other certifications and to purchase the tools of your trade that are right for you. That is why I wanted to create this award. I want each student in a skilled trade or apprenticeship program to have the opportunity to apply for an award that will help them become the best craftsperson in their chosen field that they can be.”
- Karen Kloibhofer, Co-op Consultant