Over 70 College of the North Atlantic (CNA) students will get valuable job experience through Industry Day 2012.
The third annual event, a partnered initiative between the Newfoundland & Labrador Construction Association (NLCA) and College of the North Atlantic, began today at CNA’s Ridge Road and Corner Brook campuses. CNA students on both coasts are being placed with a NLCA member firm for a day of job shadowing and hands-on experience. The event is also supported by the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association (NLCSA).
The Engineering Technology Centre at Ridge Road campus will see 17 Safety Engineering Technology (Post Diploma) Co-op, 16 Mechanical Engineering Technology and 16 Architectural Engineering Technology students take part in the event, while 16 Construction/Industrial Electrician students from the School of Industrial Trades at Corner Brook campus will participate.
“Industry Day is a valuable opportunity for students to gain insights on their future careers as they progress through their post-secondary training,” said the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills. “As the provincial economy grows and labour market demands increase, the ability to job shadow also allows employers to share expertise and knowledge with students who could potentially be their employees one day.”
“Industry Day always marks an exciting time of year for us because we get to work with wonderful dedicated partners in College of the North Atlantic and the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association to offer what is in every way a first-hand and very real experience for the students who are training to enter the construction trades,” said NLCA President and COO, Rhonda Neary. “We see this as an opportunity to enlighten the participating students, to give them a chance to sample what life will be like in their chosen field of study. Today students will get a realistic look at what the future might be like once they complete their academic training. They’ll get to see what it’s like to work in a team environment in a real work setting.”
Aside from providing students with an opportunity to connect their classroom training with first-hand workplace situations, Industry Day also provides them with an excellent networking opportunity as they explore career options throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
“The feedback that we have gathered from the participating students and employers over the past two years has been exceptional,” said Ann Marie Vaughan, CNA’s President and CEO. “The college has always been particularly proud of how its students represent themselves and the institution in the workplace, but having it reaffirmed by industry stakeholders is particularly important to us. The knowledge base our students develop during their time with us speaks volumes about the professionalism of our instructors and the world-class curriculum, developed in conjunction with industry, our students are exposed to in classrooms and workshops.”
The NLCSA once again provided safety seminars at each of the campus locations prior to the start of Industry Day. The association presented students who completed the one-day seminar with a Safety Passport and a certificate in Construction Worker Safety. This session will also be available to students enrolled in the Industry Day related programs, but who will not be participating in the work placements.
“Providing this general health and safety training gives employers the assurance that the participants have a general understanding of the hazards they may encounter and the measures required to control them”, said Jackie Manuel, NLCSA’s CEO. “Hazard awareness is key to preventing accidents, injuries and illness in the workplace”.
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Media Contacts:
Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca
Ms. Rhonda Neary
NLCA President/Chief Operating Officer
Newfoundland & Labrador Construction Association
(709) 753-8920 (w)
(709) 699-5177 (c)
rneary@nlca.ca
John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Advanced Education and Skills
709-729-0753, 728-7762
jtompkins@gov.nl.ca
Jackie Manuel
Chief Executive Officer
Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association
(709) 739-7000, ext. 201 (w)
(709) 689-1240 (c)
jmanuel@nlcsa.com