On Sept. 26, Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop experienced how Niagara College is advancing student learning to meet industry demand in the Schools of Trades and Technology at the Welland Campus.
The Minister’s visit to the College is the second this year. She and her team toured the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake in the spring to learn about NC’s Culinary, Tourism and Beverage division and Learning Enterprises.
The visit was also an opportunity for Minister Dunlop and College President Sean Kennedy to discuss ways to support and enhance NC programming and key areas of growth in alignment with provincial goals.
The Minister and her team were greeted by Kennedy along with Vice-President Academic, Fiona Allan, and Vice-President Research and External Relations, Marc Nantel. Vincent Van Schaik, Dean of Media, Trades and Technology, was joined by Associate Dean’s John Da Silva, School of Technology, Jeff Murrell, School of Trades, and Charles Kopun, School of Media Studies.
Sam Jemison, President of the Niagara College Student Administrative Council (NCSAC) and alumna of the Mechanical Engineering Technology program was on-hand, as was Nishita Vekaria, second term Motive Power student and NCSAC Director.
Vekaria, alongside trades professor Wayne Toth, demonstrated how to rebuild a high voltage Prius battery in the Green Automotive Technology Lab, and the Minister was invited to test a cell from the battery. The Minister observed Motive Power students working on vehicles in the lab, leveraging the latest tools in green technology to prepare for the rapidly evolving automotive sector.
Toth shared NC’s pride in opening the new lab in 2018 to introduce hybrid and electric vehicle technology into the curriculum. He explained that the technology has set NC apart from other colleges, has contributed to the strong demand for our graduates, and has led to many great industry partnerships with manufacturers, dealerships and automotive shops.
Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop speaks with Associate Dean, School of Trades, Jeff Murrell and Vice-President Academic Fiona Allan.
The Minister joined technologist Joe McEachern, and students in the Electrical Techniques certificate program technologist in the Electrical Installation lab as they worked on a project installing a light circuit into an electrical load centre.
Murrell led the Minister through the construction lab showcasing the work being completed by Skills Development students – an eight-week program run in partnership with the Niagara Home Builders designed to give students specific skills to meet the needs in the local construction sector. Minister Dunlop also visited the site of the future construction lab extension that will further support advancements in our programming to meet industry demand for skilled graduates.
Murrell spoke to the Hydraulics Lab that will be used by students in our new Industrial Millwright Apprenticeship program as well as the welding lab where students learn the skills required to be successful, as well as several Canadian Welding Bureau certifications.
New equipment for student learning in the School of Technology was a focal point of the tour, much of which was enabled by investments by the provincial government.
In the technology lab, Da Silva offered Minister Dunlop one of the College’s new mixed and virtual reality headsets to demo a digital 3D building in a physical space. Da Silva explained that mixed reality technology blends the digital and physical environment in real-time and provides a collaborative platform.
“As companies worldwide begin employing immersive technologies to drive efficiencies, mixed reality is poised to change the way businesses operate. Mixed reality blends the digital and physical world by overlaying 3D digital objects into the user’s physical world, offering a way to interact organically using head-mounted devices. The pandemic accelerated the use of this technology, and it was our priority for NC students to experience immersive collaboration through mixed reality,” said Da Silva.
President Sean Kennedy, NCSAC President Sam Jemison, Vice-President Academic Fiona Allan and Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop. The group is pictured with the Industry 4.0 training station.
The Minister had an opportunity to interact with a state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 training station. New technologies are changing industrial practice and the skill profiles for a wide range of roles, such as that of mechatronics specialists. This results in a need to integrate future-oriented topics such as IT security, energy efficiency and machine learning into technical training in mechatronics and automation technology.
Having graduated from the School of Technology, Jemison shared her excitement for current and future students. “Thanks to this new equipment, they will be even more competitive in the industry and it’s so incredible to see,” she said.
“We want to thank Minister Dunlop and the government for their support through the College Equipment Renewal fund. Their investment has helped make a significant impact on student learning at Niagara College,” said President Kennedy.
Minister Dunlop with NC President Sean Kennedy with a special gift welded by students in the School of Trades Student Club.
As a special gift to the Minister, students in the School of Trades Student Club welded a unique floral bouquet from sheet metal. The sculpture represents NC’s focus on hands-on, applied learning and innovative spirit. The student club draws students from various programs to learn cross-disciplinary skills under the guidance of Brendan Ryan, Vic Barker and Robert Lukas.
