Could N.W.C.C Kitimat see a trades campus someday?
The city of Kitimat is home to the majority of Northwest B.C’s industries. However, there is no trades campus located in the city. Kitimat Valley Institute, the local industrial educator, focuses mainly on Power Engineering programs and oil and gas training. The growing gap between trades people retiring and being replaced is a growing concern. Although the N.W.C.C Terrace campus does have trades training, the capacity is not nearly enough. Kitimat was recently visited by a mobile trades classroom to raise awareness about the trades oportunities.
see link:
http://www.northernsentinel.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=16&cat=23&id=866267&more
This leads to my question, why not expand the N.W.C.C Kitimat campus to accomodate trades training? The city of Prince Rupert expanded their campus two years ago to allow for more trades related programs. Teaming up with local industries and the government, Prince Rupert was able to fund this endeavor. If Kitimat was to rally some support for a trades college, we could allocate the resources to make it happen. Kitimat has alot of proposed industrial projects coming online in the next 5 years that will reqired skilled tradesmen, If the city was to lobby the Provincial/Federal government and recieve some contributions from local industry the trades campus could become a reality. As far as competition with the Terrace/Rupert campuses, Kitimat could offer trades that the other campuses don’t offer. For instance there is currently no trades training for Pipefitters, Machinists, Ironworkes or Glazers in the Northwest. What about space to expand the Kitimat Campus? Kitimat’s Official Community Plan designates land for the colleges expansion if ever desired. What other facilities could enhance the Kitimat Campus? A 30+ student residence could enhance the campuses presence and lend to other economic spin offs in the community. And with being close to the new Kitimat Hospital, the college expansion could lead to some health care related programs. Just A thought, maybe it will happen someday!
Hi Mark,
Posted 2 years, 7 months agoI thought I had just read somewhere that our region was screaming for more trades people. (I’ll have to see if I can find it again)
I see a new trades campus in Kitimat as an awesome opportunity to allow for more growth and better job opportunities for our growing Port City.
I like the New Name by the way
Posted 2 years, 7 months agoHello Mark,
Posted 2 years, 7 months agoI would love to see this happen as well. Kitimat has such opportunity and we need more people to see just how diverse it is instead of staying focused on what’s here now. Love this site and have linked it to mine as well.
Hello Sheila,
A trades campus would open more doors then we could imagine. The economic spin offs for Kitimat would be treamendous (especially a student residence). If we could gather some support, maybe we could encourage our council to make this a priority. Ideas are great, but if we could turn then into actions that would spectacular.
Mark
Posted 2 years, 7 months agoHello Penny,
Thanks for the support. I hope this site inspires everyone in some way to think outside the box. There are alot of good thinks happening in the community. Unfortunately critics often over look them and focus on the negative. A trades campus would be an extreme benefit to Kitimat, and the entire region. Hopefully, our council catches wind of the idea and could investigate the matter further. Together we can make things happen.
Mark
Posted 2 years, 7 months ago