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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday June 27, 2007 - 7 Ready to train the best By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Ontario's diminishing skilled trades sector will soon be receiving some intensely-qualified new blood courtesy of the new Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre located in Oakville. The centre, which features a variety of classrooms, computer labs and workshops, is outfitted with the most up-to-date, industry-relevant technology and is the realization of an idea that took root over six years ago. "Labour and management got together with some government funding and we were able to hire an outside consultant to look at the sheet metal training across the province," said Wayne Peterson, Co-chair of the Provincial Training Trust Fund. "We looked at the requirements and what was needed, we looked at the curriculum, we looked at a number of items and when the study was finished it was determined we had to build our own facility." The result of that determination is an astonishing 29,000-sq.-ft. facility, which is expected to train around 250 apprentices each year. With careful scheduling, the centre can handle up to 450 apprentices. Receiving its first class of students last April 30, this state of the art facility did not come cheap with a price tag of $6 million from the Provincial Sheet Metal Workers Training Trust Fund. The Oakville location was chosen because it is central to many of the students, who are commuting from across the GTA. The Oakville site is within about a 60-90-minute drive for 70 per cent of the students. Kevin Rabishaw, Executive Director of the training centre, explained what having this new facility means for the skilled trades sector. "By equipping our new training centre with additional state of the art machinery and equipment, we can address the needs of both industry and labour by training more apprentices, expand journeyperson upgrading and provide more health and safety training." For training centre student Ryan Whitten, the new Oakville facility means more opportunities to learn as it offers things his previous school in Toronto could not compete with. "They were a little older and more dated, they hadn't had a chance to update, not like this place," he said. "This is a huge improvement. The technology and equipment that they've brought in is a big leap forward from where we were going before." With equipment current- ly being used in his industry to train on, Whitten feels he will be much more marketable once his studies are complete. "We do everything from pattern drafting, blueprint reading, to shop and theory," he said. "I'm planning to take my apprenticeship, get my journeyman, and I'm probably going to work in a shop helping to make the fittings and the ductwork for the guys to install." DAVID LEA / OAKVILLE BEAVER ON THE JOB: Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, at the grand opening of the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre in Oakville. See Cash page 9 SERVICE EXCELLENCE DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB AWARD WINNER ONTARIO'S #1 RANKED CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP JEEP PATRIOT Only 4 Days Left! DODGE CALIBER DODGE GRAND CARAVAN DODGE CHARGER DODGE NITRO JEEP COMPASS OPENING SOON We are accepting 36 Competitors To Take Place in a 12-Week Weight Loss Competition. This includes: 36 1-on-1 Personal Tranining Sessions (each 1 hour). Bi-Weekly Nutrition Appointments & a Fully Serviced Nutrition and Fitness Plan. CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE DORVAL DRIVE All for (Regular Prince $2925.60) $999.99 + taxes THE LOCKWOOD REWARDS CARD INCLUDED WITH EVERY PURCHASE WYECROFT RD. SPEERS RD. 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