March 20, 2015
Manitoba Government Invests in School Shops, Equipment Upgrades for Northern and Rural Students
– – –Investments Will Help Prepare Students for Good Jobs Here at Home, Help Businesses Meet Demand for Skilled Workers: Minister Bjornson
The Manitoba government is providing schools with state-of-the-art equipment and shops upgrades for training and skill development in rural and northern communities, Education and Advanced Learning Minister Peter Bjornson announced today.
“As Manitoba’s economy continues to grow, our government is committed to ensuring students can hit the ground running toward good careers when they graduate,” Minister Bjornson said.
The minister announced over $90,000 in new funding for Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School in Brandon to upgrade equipment in its automotive technology, welding and carpentry programs, which are all Level One Apprenticeship Manitoba Accredited. Upgrades include:
- automotive technology – funds will assist the program to align with industry standards through the purchase of an automotive lighting system trainer.
- carpentry – funding will be used to purchase a new drill press, edge belt sander, wood lathe, radial arm saw, spindle shaper, planer and band saw.
- welding – funding will be used to purchase 20 new welding machines to ensure adequate practice time for all students and electrical wiring will also be upgraded.
Other communities receiving funding for new equipment include:
- Park West School Division – $20,397 for cosmetology equipment;
- St. Laurent School – $18,516 for industrial arts equipment; and
- Minnedosa Collegiate – $46,963 for power mechanics equipment.
“By training on the same equipment used by industry, high school students will be prepared for the good jobs that are available right here in Manitoba,” Municipal Government Minister Drew Caldwell said at an event in Brandon on behalf of Minister Bjornson.
The Manitoba government is also investing $500,000 in upgrades to two northern school technical training programs.
The ventilation system in shops at Grand Rapids School will be upgraded and Cormorant School will be renovated to create an industrial arts classroom shop.
The Manitoba government has launched a comprehensive skills strategy to give students access to state-of-the-art programming and equipment that will create a pathway to post-secondary education and good jobs, the minister said.
This includes:
- a new, $30-million Skill Build Shops fund to build and expand trades and skills shops in high schools;
- a new, $2-million career development fund to ensure students leave high school with a good idea of where they want to go and how to get there, whether it is through a university, college, work placement or on-the-job training and apprenticeship; and
- a new, $1.5-million Skill Build Equipment fund to upgrade classrooms to an apprenticeship-accredited level and bring welding, electrical, carpentry and culinary arts equipment into schools.
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