North Island College trades students will train on new, high-tech tools to start their career, thanks to a $38,000 equipment donation from Seymour Pacific Developments Ltd.
Joinery and cabinetmaking students and faculty in Port Alberni will now have access to a new edgebander and sliding table saw that will make it much easier for students to create cabinets, fine furniture and woodworking projects.
Seymour Pacific was looking for a new home for the equipment and knew NIC trades students would put it to good use.
“As a construction company, we believe it is important to support the growth of skilled trades workers in the community,” said Kris D Mailman, COO and executive VP of Seymour Pacific. “We hope this equipment provides students with a valuable experience for their future careers. The trades are a viable industry with so much opportunity for graduates. We are always looking to hire skilled workers.”
Based out of Campbell River, B.C., Seymour Pacific is a family-owned and -operated construction company that builds leading edge, multi-family apartment communities in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
The donation also includes stainless steel tables, solid wood tables and several chairs, which will benefit professional cook students and faculty.
“This equipment is top of range,” said Amy Dugas, who opened her own contemporary furniture art business in Campbell River since graduating from NIC’s Joinery/Cabinetmaking program in 2017.
“Having access to more modern machines like these really helps students, making it much easier to produce high-quality woodwork,” she added. “It’s also great for applying for jobs afterwards as you have experience using industry-standard machinery.”
Dugas’s work is for sale at www.heathenwood.com.
To learn more about the NIC Foundation and how you can make a difference in the lives of students in your community, visit https://foundation.nic.bc.ca/ or call 250-334-5085.
