Students in Parkland College’s Welding Certificate program now have the opportunity to hone their skills on a high-tech simulator, thanks to a donation made by the CWA (Canadian Welding Association) Foundation.
The CWA Foundation gave $40,000 to the College at the recent Grand Opening of the Trades and Technology Centre in Yorkton. The funds have been put toward the purchase of a Lincoln Electric VRTEX 360 virtual reality arc welding trainer.
“Support for Parkland College to purchase the virtual welding simulator will provide an excellent training vehicle for students enrolled in the welding program,” said Deborah Mates, CWA Foundation Executive Director. “Through Parkland, the simulator will also be exposed to students at the elementary and secondary school levels to learn about the great welding career opportunities available throughout Canada.”
One of the Foundation’s key mandates is to create access to educational opportunities. The Foundation looks for ways to encourage students as early as elementary school age to pursue welding at the secondary school level in preparation for post-secondary welding education. Colleges and universities are the largest source of training for the welding industry, so the Foundation seeks to support these institutions to ensure that graduates are both suitable and in sufficient numbers to meet industry needs.
“We are grateful for the Foundation’s generosity,” said Parkland College President Dwayne Reeve. “This tool will help our students better develop the skills that will help them succeed in the industry.”
Parkland College offers a one-year Welding Certificate from Sask Polytech at the Trades and Technology Centre. Students learn how to operate welding equipment and perform a variety of welding and cutting operations. The College’s new simulator will allow students to practise their technique in conjunction with live welding.
A 2010 study performed by Lincoln Electric and Iowa State University showed that combining the simulator with live welding training saves time and reduces expenses. It also allows students to make a greater number of welds and significantly increases certification rates.
About Parkland College:
Since its inception in 1973, Parkland College has worked to expand the philosophy of life-long learning in East Central Saskatchewan. Among the seven basic principles upon which the community college system was founded is the idea that programs are to be developed in response to the needs of the community. Today, Parkland College offers a broad spectrum of educational services from trades training and high school upgrading to the province’s most diverse off-campus university offerings.
