TransCanada donates to Northern Lights College

Trades and Apprenticeships students at Northern Lights College (NLC) will benefit from a generous donation of $250 000 by TransCanada that will go towards new welding booths for the proposed new trades training centre at the Dawson Creek Campus - subject to all appropriate approvals - and student bursaries to increase access to trades workforce training skills development programmes.

TransCanada's donation from its Coastal GasLink Pipeline and Prince Rupert Gas Transmission projects is part of the company's Pathway to Pipeline Readiness Programme. The programme is focused on helping to build northern B.C.'s skilled labour force, and to grow workers' transferable skills.

"Through our work with local residents, community leaders and Aboriginal groups, we know that investing in skills development is important to northern British Columbians," said Kristine Delkus, TransCanada's executive vice president, stakeholder relations. "That's why we are working closely with northern educational institutions such as Northern Lights College to ensure residents are able to access training in the essential skills and relevant trades needed to participate in pipeline and other development projects in northern B.C."

"TransCanada's donation to the proposed new trades training centre will help NLC close the skills gap and ensure that students gain access to the right training in the right location at the right time," said Dr. Bryn Kulmatycki, NLC President and CEO.

"One of the biggest barriers to furthering one's education is finances," said Donna Kane, executive director of the NLC Foundation. "By helping students with financial need, the TransCanada awards program will go a long way in ensuring that those who wish to attend NLC will have that opportunity."

TransCanada is developing more than $13 billion in new natural gas pipeline projects in northern B.C. in support of the emerging liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry. The projects are expected to create thousands of jobs and other economic benefits across the region. TransCanada operates a network of natural gas pipelines extending 68 000 km across North America.

NLC offers two intakes each year for Foundation Trades programmes in September and February with various start dates for its Apprenticeships programmes.

Edited from press release by Angharad Lock

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/21102015/transcanada-donates-to-northern-lights-college-375/