Four future Heavy Equipment Operators recenlty wrapped up their one-month training program at the Weyburn Landfill.
The students, along with SIAST instructor Allan Dery, have been practicing on a backhoe, dozer, Grader, and trackhoe at the City of Weyburn landfill since the end of May. In addition to digging holes and moving dirt, the students have completed some in-class studies, exams, and received certification in CPR/First Aid/AED and Ground Disturbance. Each student will receive certification on two of the pieces of equipment.
Southeast Regional College's ability to offer this training relied on a number of successful partnerships, including: SIAST, which provided the curriculum and approved the instructor; Redhead Equipment and SITE Energy Services, which provided rental of the equipment; and Canada - Saskatchewan Career and Employment Services (CanSask), which provided various amounts of funding to some students in the course - tuition is $10,900 per student.
Finally, the City of Weyburn provided grease, fuel, and the landfill as a project site. Claude Morin, superintendent of Public Works and Parks for the City of Weyburn, was responsible for making the landfill available to the College and is very pleased with the work performed by the students.
"We're looking forward to the next opportunity to do this again," said Morin. "We are impressed with the work that the students completed out at the landfill and are thinking of specific projects that students can complete the next time the program is offered here."
Marla Smith, business and energy training consultant with the College is excited that employers now have four new qualified operators in the labour force.
"Stakeholders and employers can feel good knowing the students that come out of this program are trained and can safely operate the equipment provided to them," stated Smith.
