Portage College is one step closer to a facility in Boyle with the donation of ten acres of land for the school’s new Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) Training Centre.
The college signed an internal agreement with Garry and Terresa Szmyrko on August 4, allowing the school to clear land located one kilometre from the Village of Boyle.
The couple, who are former owners of Tri-Gen Construction, are strong supporters of the college’s efforts to localize HEO training.
“It’s a win-win situation. Not only is it a great program, it’s also a game changer for the Village of Boyle. This will help the town grow,” they said in a press release.
They underscored the importance of safety and proper training on the heavy machines before they risk other workers’ safety at a job site.
With a background in the construction industry, the couple was well aware of the shortcomings of the labour market of equipment operators.
The agreement gives the college the go-ahead to prepare the land for construction, as the school continues to raise funds for the program.
Leona Geller, director of public relations for Portage College, explained the school has already received funding through the federal and provincial governments, and they will continue to look for private donations.
“As to when the centre will be open, we’re being optimistic and hoping for a year,” she said, adding that it depends on how much money the college can procure.
Currently, the HEO training is offered on an ad hoc basis, utilizing privately owned machinery and the college’s new trailer-based HEO simulator.
She added that there is already a 100-plus waiting list of students.
Once the facility is operational, the full program will run 16 weeks with students living on-site in similar work cycles as those of the surrounding industry.
Students will spend a minimum of 40 hours in the simulator, supplemented by theory in classrooms and real-world training on equipment.
Geller added that although the college does not currently have machinery of their own, they are hoping for industry donations.
Once complete, the centre will be the first of its kind in Western Canada.
