Northern College Expansion Project
Building For Our Future

A new 33,000 sq. foot Centre for Trades and Technology will be constructed, featuring classrooms and labs with Smart* technology, multi-trades shops, science and “green” and other technology labs to improve access and quality in education.

Innovative information technology will allow us to deliver programs, provide high-skills training in technology, trades and apprenticeship programs, lead to innovation through applied research, expand community partnerships to support economic development in this region and up to the James Bay Coast, as well as make it possible for our Centre of Excellence to be linked to other campuses, including a satellite Trades Centre in Moosonee.

The Centre of Excellence for Trades and Technology will develop the human resources capacity required to address skilled worker shortages and fuel new and emerging economic development, including creation of short-term and long-term jobs during the construction phase and upon completion of the project.

The Northern College Centre of Excellence for Trades and Technology will:

• Provide direct access to apprenticeship, trades, and technology programs to address current and acute human resource shortages.
• Provide transformative technical programming, emphasizing sustainable, or “green” technology and entrepreneurial thinking.
• Reduce training costs for local and regional employers through expanded training opportunities offered in closer proximity to their place of business and in new formats e.g. day-release.
• Increase the retention rate of youth to the community and the region. Youth out-migration in Northern Ontario continues to be a problem and at 17.4% (2006 Census), contributes to the shrinking labour pool. Expanded program opportunities relevant to the current and future needs of local industry will help stem this outflow as well as leverage greater success for the provincial government’s Second Career Strategy.
• Serve as a critical centerpiece to assist the Provincial Government in re-skilling laid-off workers, acquire new, in-demand skill sets and successfully transition to employment as the economy begins to recover.
• Expand, enrich and create unique community partnerships, including introduction of applied research to support economic and social development and diversification, a common goal with the developing Growth Plan for Northern Ontario.
• Create and maintain a steady stream of graduates who demonstrate consistent high performance and knowledge of safety standards in industry.
• Provide Aboriginal students with direct access to apprenticeship, trades and technical training in a local environment that fosters greater student success.
• Meet local demand from electrical and other utilities, information technology and construction trades markets and create new programs required in the region.

Investment in Skills and Training

Canada-Ontario Knowledge Infrastructure Program – Building Knowledge

The construction of Northern College’s Centre of Excellence for Trades and Technology has received federal and provincial funding totaling $14.2 million through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program and Ontario’s 2009 Budget. Other investments include $1 million contributed by the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. and $2.2 million to be contributed by other sources including Northern College and the community.

For more information:
Industry Canada
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure

While Northern College continues to work with the provincial and federal governments to secure additional funding, we are also exploring funding partnerships from within the private sector.

With your support and investment, we can build community and economic capacity and sustainability.

As partners, we can:

• support community development and diversification by enabling individuals to study, train and work in their communities
• foster a new generation of skilled trades persons and certified health-care workers
• develop human resource capacity through youth retention and worker retraining
• build community networks and partnerships
• share in the responsibility of creating new strategies and approaches for providing services and developing our regional workforce

As an investor, you will benefit from:

• reduced training costs
• through expanded training opportunities
• new training models
• a steady stream of graduates for your workforce
• skilled workers with the knowledge of safety standards and the capability of consistently achieving high performance
• added-value as outlined in the included Donor Investment Plan that only your local community college can offer
• new training programs
• new apprenticeship programs

To read the complete details of Northern College's expansion plan, please click on the image to the right or click here.

If you would like to receive a printed version, please contact:

Nicole Gingras
Development Officer, Northern College Foundation
705-235-7210
email: gingrasn@northern.on.ca