Students discuss career possibilities at a job fair. Blackburn Media file photo by Mike Vlasveld. Students discuss career possibilities at a job fair. Blackburn Media file photo by Mike Vlasveld.
Chatham

St. Clair Apprenticeship Cash Upgrading Equipment

Another $23-million over the next two years from the province for apprenticeship enhancement means a little over $500,000 for St. Clair College.

Chair of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Rob Chittim says the lion's share of the money will go to equipment upgrades at the main campus in Windsor.

"By being able to replace some of that equipment with new equipment, we have a lot better reliability, so those students will receive the best training they can," says Chittim. "Some of our equipment needs to be repaired, there's other equipment we need to move into some new technologies, some expansion of programs [and] also to accommodate any apprentices that have disabilities."

While most of the money is being spent at the Windsor campus, Chittim says benefits will reach Chatham-Kent as well.

"We will train apprentices certainly in the Windsor-Essex area, but we have a large number of folks coming in from Chatham-Kent, even in from Lambton as well, through our day-time and night-time apprenticeship training," says Chittim.

The powerline technician apprenticeship program at Thames Campus will see some funding as well, but Chittim says the program is at or near capacity. He says there could be potential expansion with tool and mould shops in Wallaceburg.

St. Clair College trained over 900 apprentices last year and has been mandated to train another 1,000 apprentices for this year.

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