Sudbury college celebrates $5M in donations to trades programming: Seven companies have contributed heavy equipment technology over the last 15 years.

• Author: Romaniuk, Colleen

The trades are on fire right now in Northern Ontario and it's never been so important for training and education institutions to understand the needs of the industry.

Cambrian College works to provide programming that supports local demand, gives students hands-on experience and connects them to opportunities in the real world.

At a Sept. 12 event organized by : the Cambrian Foundation, an organization that works with the college to fund student programs, the school said thank you to some of its corporate donors who have made this kind of education possible.

The college honoured seven different companies for donating nearly $5 million in equipment to the Heavy Equipment Technician program over the past 15 years. The donations include anything from jacklegs, scooptrams and backhoes, to diesel engines, Mack trucks and roller crusher gear.

The Heavy Equipment Technician Program teaches students the basics of diesel engines, power trains, electrical systems, hydraulic systems and brake systems in the first year. Courses include an emphasis on safety and have a coop option to combine apprenticeship training with classroom study.

Many of the representatives of each company in attendance were alumni of Cambrian College themselves.

Peter Burrell, who started out as a mechanic and now works in sales at Minecat, graduated from Cambrian College in 1995. It was through the Heavy Equipment program that he learned the skills necessary for his success.

"The program was well-done when I was there," he said in an interview. "We learned on the equipment companies we were actually using underground."

"Now, it feels like we've come full circle. We donate, we volunteer. We need to create these kinds of partnerships. It's a community college and communities need a step up."

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The companies honoured at the event include Vale, Glencore, Cardinal Mining/REG, Epiroc, Toromont CAT, Industrial Fabrication, and Day Group. Their banners were hung in the Heavy Equipment lab, displaying their companies' logos, to thank them for their continued support.

"I think this is a tremendous opportunity for us to say thank you to some valued partners that we've had for a number of years. With their contributions, our students are able to have a first-class lab experience," said Shawn Poland, associate vice-president of strategic enrollment and college advancement at Cambrian College.

"They get to work...