Last Friday, the community celebrated the grand opening of the Northern Lakes College mobile trade unit, a milestone that has been in the works for a decade.
“What an exciting day this is for Drayton Valley and for our region,” said Mayor Nancy Dodds. “I can’t believe we’re here celebrating the official opening of the Northern Lakes College mobile trades unit. It’s been a long time coming.”
The 1,500 square foot unit was filled with delegates from Northern Lakes College, University of Alberta, the province, and the Town and County. Instructors, current students and their families were also present for the occasion.
“Today’s ribbon cutting is about much more than a mobile training lab,” said Minister of Advanced Education Myles McDougall. “It’s about bringing accredited education closer to people in the communities it serves.”
Education and youth retention were two motivating factors for the Town when it began advocating for post-secondary institute partnerships. They felt that rural students deserved to be able to live with their families and save on expenses while pursuing a higher education, which wasn’t possible if they had to move to a larger centre to attend classes.
“This mobile trades lab brings the training to the learner,” said McDougall. “It means people can build skills for a rewarding career in the trades without leaving the community they are proud to call home.”
Over the years, post-secondary educational opportunities have grown in the community. However, there were still no schooling opportunities for students who were interested in pursuing a career in trades. With the arrival of the mobile trades unit, that gap has been closed.
MLA Andrew Boitchenko said this unit will also have a ripple effect out to the businesses in the area because they will have access to a pool of skilled workers to work on their projects. “I come from a background of land development and construction, and I understand firsthand what it means to have available skilled workers to do the work,” he said.
Though youth retention was one of the motivations behind the unit, the training lab will also be beneficial for adults who are transitioning careers. Rather than driving into the city for training, or leaving their families for months at a time, they can now begin a new career and stay at home.
Starting at the beginning of September, several students began working on a carpentry program that will give them an introduction into the trade. At the end of the semester, if they pass, they will be registered apprentices and can begin their careers in the field.
“It’s only here for one year right now, but I’m hoping, and I can visualize it, for it to be here for decades to come because there is so many people in Drayton Valley that could benefit from it,” he said..
The trades unit also offers an economical way to offer education in rural communities. With a mobile unit, the province and municipalities don’t need to invest in building facilities that can offer these courses. Instead, they can just show a need in the community and request that a unit be sent out to offer the education.
Dodds said industry partnerships are also helpful for the project. A local business donated $10,000 to the tuition assistance bursary grant specifically for students participating in training at the mobile unit.
“Your investment goes beyond funding,” said Dodds. “It’s an investment in our people, in our programs, in our community, and in our region, so thank you so much for your generosity.”
Dodds also acknowledged the partnership the Town has had with Northern Lakes College over the past several years.
“You have been a pillar and an advocate, and a strong voice at the table with us for many years. You believed in the programs that we believed in; you believed in the needs of rural communities like your own. So, thank you for being here today. Without you, we wouldn’t be standing here today. We would never have created this opportunity,” said Dodds.
President and CEO of Northern Lakes College, Dr. Glenn Mitchell, said they wanted to get education opportunities out to everyone in the province.
“It is an innovative response to a very real challenge. How do we make post-secondary education more accessible to learners regardless of where they live?” he said. “We believe geography should never be a barrier to education.”
During his time at the mobile trades unit, Mitchell had the opportunity to meet with some of the students and said he was looking forward to working with them.
“To the students… You’re here in this space, this opportunity; it’s all about you. It’s for you. We look forward to supporting you as you build your new skills and pursue your goals, and prepare for successful, meaningful careers.”
