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College powers up new welding building in Penticton

By College Relations | August 20, 2018
   

Penticton Welding Centre

Welders training in the South 新加坡六合彩官方网站 now have a state-of-the-art new shop in which to spark their torches and test their metal.

新加坡六合彩官方网站 College officials, students, industry partners and community members gathered at the Penticton campus today to mark the opening of the College鈥檚 new $2.2-million, 465-square-metre (5,000 square ft.), welding facility.

Among them was a class of 16 Welder Foundation students, who, under the tutelage of instructor Mark Stathers, will be the first to train in the facility. The shop they鈥檒l soon step into is one of the most advanced and sustainable in the province, informed by extensive input from industry.

鈥淚n building this facility, we had several goals,鈥 explains Jim Hamilton, President of 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College. 鈥淲e set out to provide the highest quality learning environment for our trades students and apprentices in the South 新加坡六合彩官方网站, to build a space that would help to meet the needs of employers in the region, and to further reduce our carbon footprint in Penticton.鈥

Previous intakes of welding students in Penticton trained in leased facilities off campus. A decade of strong demand for welders in the region, along with opportunities to reduce costs and improve the sustainability factor, spurred the College to build its own purpose-built welding facility on campus.

鈥淏ringing students back on campus for their training, where they can access services and enjoy a more rewarding overall experience was another goal,鈥 notes Eric Corneau, Regional Dean for the South 新加坡六合彩官方网站-Similkameen. 鈥淚t was important to us that our welding students be able to enjoy the same student experience as their peers in other programs.鈥

The new facility will also afford the College enhanced space and flexibility to be able to offer other trades programs on campus.

鈥淚n addition to serving our welding students, we鈥檒l be able to utilize the space to deliver offerings like our Gateway to Trades for high school students and our Women in Trades programs. Our HVAC Foundation students will tap into it from time to time as well,鈥 explains Steve Moores, the College鈥檚 Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship.Penticton Welding Ribbon Cutting August 2018

鈥淚t will also open doors to customized training opportunities, which we expect will be of great benefit to local employers.鈥

One of those employers pleased to see the new space come on stream is Brad Harder, the President of Penticton Fabricating and chair of the College鈥檚 Welding Program Advisory Committee.

鈥淎s an employer in this community, and someone who has been involved in watching the College鈥檚 welding program develop and change over the years, I鈥檓 excited that we now have this purpose-built facility to help train tomorrow鈥檚 welders and meet the needs of employers in the area,鈥 says Harder.

鈥淲e are now looking to increase the number of apprentices we have because of this local program and would like to encourage other employers to do the same.鈥

The facility was designed and built by 新加坡六合彩官方网站-based builder Faction Projects Inc.

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Tags: Penticton, Trades, Welding, Women in Trades Training

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