Dear editor,In response to recent letters to the editor I am writing on behalf of North Island College to correct the assumption of a correlation between North Island College receiving funds to offer an underground mining program and the potential coal project at Fanny Bay.On Dec. 9, 2011, the Province announced that North Island College will receive $2,294,453 in funding from the Employment Skills Access Program, a federal-provincial program developed to provide unemployed workers with general employment or job-specific skills so they can transition to the workforce.As a result of this funding, 200 individuals will receive training in the following programs: carpentry access in the Mount Waddington region; woodland harvesting in Campbell River, Mount Waddington, and Port Alberni; Integrated Core Resources Skills Training in Campbell River; leadership and capacity building for First Nations Communities in Mount Waddington and Campbell River; and underground mining.$323,028 is allotted to prepare 24 individuals for work in Vancouver Island’s mining sector. The training will be offered at our Campbell River campus and is in direct response to an identified labour shortage and skills gap at existing mining operations.North Island College is pleased to have worked extensively with Nyrstar (formerly NVI) Myra Falls to develop and launch the program.  Our first of two intakes is scheduled for February 2012 with participants ready for employment four months later.The program will focus extensively on mine health and safety, with students receiving certification in Occupational First Aid, Transportation of Dangerous Goods, Workplace Hazard Recognition and Worksafe BC endorsements in transportation, confined space and fall protection.Upon completion, students will be prepared to pursue entry level positions in the mining sector. Alternatively, the knowledge gained through this program is transferable to many industries, both resource and non-resource based.As the public, post-secondary institution on northern Vancouver Island, our mandate is to educate and train individuals for safe employment in our region and to support the economic development of our region. We have a long history of working in partnership with industry to develop and deliver programs appropriate to their needs.This partnership with the provincial and federal governments and Nyrstar Myra Falls is but one example.I welcome those interested in learning more about North Island College to give me a call at 250-334-5271 or drop me a line at susan.auchterlonie@nic.bc.ca. Susan AuchterlonieEditor’s note: Susan Auchterlonie is the director, college and community relations, at North Island College.

Comox Valley Record