Western Canada’s Shipbuilding Action Plan Delivers on Marine, Aerospace and Resource Training

Yesterday, Jan. 22nd, the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced $2.56 million in federal funding to strengthen skills training in British Columbia through support for the Marine, Aerospace, and Resource Industry Centre for Training and Technology Support (MARCenTTS) at Camosun College’s new Trades Education & Innovation facility.

“Over the last year, our Government’s Shipbuilding Action Plan has helped contribute to the thriving and competitive shipbuilding industry in Western Canada,” said Minister Yelich. “Today’s investment supports our Plan by ensuring that Canadians have the skills needed to address the demand for 30,000 skilled workers in the shipbuilding, repair and resource industries.”

Federal funding will support the purchase and installation of marine, aerospace and trades training equipment, and electrical service for new trades facilities at the college’s Interurban campus. Funding will also expand and upgrade the college’s Technology Access Centre, which helps industries adopt and commercialize technologies. Project partners include Wärtsilä and Seaspan.

“Canadian colleges have added another role to their broad community-oriented portfolio – that of being a local resource for technology expertise and innovation,” said Dr. Tom Roemer, Camosun College’s Vice President of Strategic Development. “Camosun College has stood up to this new challenge by making marine, aerospace and resource industry training and technology (MARCenTTS) our focus and the basis for the creation of our new centre of excellence for modern trades education and innovation.”

To complement WD’s announcement, Camosun’s industry partner, Wärtsilä Canada, also donated a 19-ton ship’s engine to the college for teaching purposes.

“We at Wärtsilä Canada are pleased to do everything possible to support higher education and to build a strong partnership with marine institutions that will serve excellence. We are honored that generations of students will be able to get hands-on experience with our partnership donation of a modern ship’s engine. Our future maritime leaders need to keep pace with the latest in marine industry technology, and today’s announcements will do just that,” stated Mark Keneford, Senior Account Manager Ship Power, Managing Director Wärtsilä Canada, Inc.

This also marks the official grand opening of the Industrial Marine Training and Applied Research Centre (IMTARC), which will work cooperatively with institutions like Camosun College in supporting trades training.

Western Canada’s Shipbuilding Action Plan, launched in February 2012, supports western Canadian companies in taking advantage of new business opportunities by bringing together key stakeholders involved with the Government of Canada’s Federal Fleet Renewal Initiative and western Canadian businesses.

Since 2006, the Harper Government, through WD, has been investing in job-creating small- and medium-sized enterprises, aerospace, marine and defence industries, and supporting innovative entrepreneurs in pursuing emerging markets. By continuing to promote new economic opportunities, WD is helping to create jobs, economic growth, and long-term prosperity.

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Press Release, January 23, 2013; Image: camosun