By SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
With history and existing resources on its side, Sault College is still hoping to establish a railway training institute.
Sault College and a number of other colleges were recently involved in meetings in Ottawa with the Railway Association of Canada and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges.
“The meeting focused on the railway industry’s needs,” says Rick McGee, spokesperson for Sault College. “Sault College and other institutions identified the kind of training they feel they can deliver and within that context, Sault College identified the kind of training and background it had that was applicable to the railway sector.”
As a result, the college is now waiting to hear from the Railway Association on whether or not to proceed with training and how to proceed. It is expected there will be several training institutes across the country addressing needs on a national basis.
“We expect an announcement could be made anytime,” McGee says.
A business plan was completed in December and formed the basis for the college’s discussions at the Ottawa meeting.
“It was an overview on how the college would propose to deliver training and existing resources we have in place that are complementary,” says McGee. “It was well received and we are hopeful that training will ultimately result (from the meetings).”
Sault College believes it is well positioned to deliver training programs.
“The college already has a number of resources in place with existing infrastructure and the expertise of our faculty,” says McGee. “We believe elsewhere in Sault Ste. Marie there are other elements of infrastructure in place that could become part of this.”
One spot for potential community extension is the Algoma Central Railway yards in the community, which could be developed into a training site, he adds.
One area of training the college is prepared for is in locomotive technician training.
“We have a heavy diesel program in place,” says McGee. “That program in the past has provided some of the apprenticeship training for Canadian National Railway during the 1990s.”
Timing is critical for the training institutes. The railway industry has indicated there is an immediate need for skilled trades workers. The established training institutes would meet immediate needs and also remain as a viable ongoing training vehicle past the immediate need and into the future.
“There would still be an ongoing need for training of people working in the industry because technology changes and will continue to change,” says McGee. “There will be ongoing professional development re-training needs and an institute like this could continue to meet those needs.”
McGee identified two types of training involved.
“One is preparing people to enter the industry and ongoing upgrade training to those people working.”
The initiative has been deemed worthwhile so far for the college.
“It is an absolutely exciting opportunity for the college and we believe we are well positioned to deliver it,” says McGee.
Having a railway training institute at the college is seen as potential boom for the entire community of Sault Ste. Marie.
“It has significant economic benefits in the community with students coming in and spending money and generating employment support,” says McGee. “An increase in activity at the college is a benefit to the community.
