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College of New Caledonia receiving $160,000 for updated, industry-standard equipment

Trades students at northern B.C. school can expect new materials soon
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Inside the garage of the College of New Caledonia's Heavy Mechanical Trades facility (via Kyle Balzer)

Upgrades are coming soon to the College of New Caledonia (CNC) trades and technology department.

Students studying and pursuing careers in millwright, heavy-duty mechanics, and carpentry will see updated equipment at the post-secondary school thanks to $160,000 from the B.C. government.

CNC is one of 19 colleges across the province, each receiving the same amount of money to get industry-standard materials for its students.

“This investment in new equipment helps the College of New Caledonia offer high-quality programming and focus on the success of our trades students,” said CNC President Henry Reiser in a statement. “Our highly skilled graduates will have up-to-date experience to meet the needs of local industry and employers.”

Laser alignment equipment for CNC's industrial mechanic program in Quesnel is one of the new items the money will go towards.

The investment is set to go a long way in meeting the demand for trades workers in B.C., in which the province estimates over 153,000 job openings in tech and trades, such as civil engineering, software engineering, and web development.

“Employment opportunities in the trades and technology sectors are increasing in every region of the province, helping to further B.C.'s economic prosperity,” said Bruce Ralston, B.C. Jobs Minister. “Training with the latest tools and equipment allows students to gain real-world skills that translate to the jobs of tomorrow.”

The total pot for the government’s funding is $3 million for the 19 programs.