The Parkland College's Trades and Technology Centre has had another major contribution. The Canada West Equipment Dealers Association (CWEDA) contributed $250,000 to the project, with the goal of developing the Agricultural Mechanic Program at the college.
CWEDA President Cameron Bode explains that the end goal is to develop and support programs relevant to dealer members, as well as training a workforce is the top priority for the agricultural equipment dealers of the province.
"Finding people is a challenge, but also if you find people, finding adequate training and development for them is a challenge. This particular partnership fills both needs," Bode says.
The program will have 24 training seats, but Bode says that the need is greater and he hopes to see more seats introduced in the future. He notes that the equipment industry is faced with an aging workforce and there is an urgent need to get more training underway. He says that the initial program will be a good start, but that he expects to see it expand.
"You have to walk before you can run, and we look forward to developing this program with Parkland College."
CWEDA and the local equipment dealers will also be offering scholarships and other programs to encourage students to take up programming, Bode reveals.
Rob Norris, Minister of Advanced Education, says that the donation represents more than just money, but also a strong partnership within the community.
"When we see that kind of a partnership between the college and an industry partner, we know that we're talking about a smoother transition between learning and earning for the students, and we're also talking about fostering and facilitating the growth of Yorkton and the entire region."
The donation is a clear signal about the importance of skills training in the province, and the importance that industry places on it, Norris says.
"We know that agriculture is very important to Saskatchewan, and this sends a very clear message that Parkland College and its partners will continue to be vitally important for this sector and others."
Dr. Fay Myers, Parkland College President, says that the donation by CWEDA is a wonderful contribution, and that cooperation with the agriculture industry is going to be vital to create programming that is relevant to students and their eventual employers.
The goal now will be to bring students into the program, Myers says, and show them the advantages of getting this training, and the demand for graduates should make it an attractive option.
The Parkland College Trades and Technology Center will open in the fall of 2015, and construction is expected to begin within six weeks.
