By Ian Holmes

$22M in government cash showers down on Nanaimo VIU trades program

Dec 6, 2016 | 2:37 PM

NANAIMO — A massive pool of senior government cash is being pumped into trades programs at Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo campus.

$22.4-million from primarily senior government sources will be used to upgrade and expand the Marine, Automotive and Trades Complex.

“This is a major pillar of the evolution of the trades that we’ve been looking at for quite a while,” said VIU president Dr. Ralph Nilson.

VIU’s dean of trades and applied technology Glynis Steen says the automotive department will be expanded and outfitted with new technology. She adds that the aging marine building will be torn down and that program added to the current carpentry building, which will be expanded and enhanced.

She says their bolstered marine program will allow students to work with liquified natural gas technology.

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“Looking at more of the heavy side of the marine piece,” said Steen. “So we’re not just serving inboard and outboard (motors) but our students are also getting the hands-on competencies around the LNG component to it as well.”

Another component of the project announced at a Tuesday news conference in Nanaimo is $2.4-million to create a District Geo-Exchange Energy System. VIU states that the initiative will reduce carbon output for heating and cooling at the Nanaimo campus by tapping into geothermal energy.

VIU reports the expansion to its trades program will increase student capacity by 128 full-time equivalent spaces.

“This investment is really going to help with a number of different trade areas, where we haven’t quite had everything we’ve wanted for the students and the faculty to do their work together,” Nilson said.

Nilson expects construction will get started early next year and be substantially completed by the spring of 2018. He says evolving their trades programs is critical in keeping up with knowledge transition, which he calls a huge challenge facing the world today.

“As they (industry) evolve their equipment, they need people that can work in that new equipment,” Nilson said. “We have to have the teaching spaces that can work on that new equipment and provide that kind of learning opportunities.”

Trades programs at VIU’s Nanaimo campus have enjoyed a steady stream of senior government money lately. Since early in 2015, $1.9-million combined in several announcements from senior levels of government have funded more trades seats and improved equipment. There are currently nearly 1,400 trades students enrolled at the university, according to Steen.

Expanding and improving VIU’s automotive program is seen as a huge positive on several levels, according to student Steve Gagnon,who’s transitioning careers. Gagnon, a trained chef years ago from VIU’s culinary program, says he’s optimistic about transitioning from years as a cook at a rural work camp in northern Alberta.

“To gain more real life experience and do it in an efficient manner with up-to-date equipment that people are actually using in the industry,” Gagnon said. “Simplifying the transition from school to real life is a big thing.”