April 26, 2016 – The new Heavy Equipment Technology (HET) Building is helping Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) meet Alberta’s need for skilled heavy equipment technicians.
The 30,000-square-foot building, along with renovations to the A Wing at Main Campus, will enable NAIT to expand heavy equipment education by as much as 60 per cent.
“This facility allows NAIT to meet Alberta’s critical needs in heavy equipment,” says Dr. Glenn Feltham, NAIT president and CEO. “The labs in this new space provide students with the opportunity to learn the hands-on technical skills they require to have successful careers.”
Prior to expanding, the HET programs were running at full capacity, with approximately 1,000 apprentices and 50 Industrial Heavy Equipment Technology diploma students. This year, approximately 1,400 apprentices and diploma students will go through the program, a 40 per cent increase. There is space to increase this further. The HET Building can accommodate up to 72 students per intake, in both the third and fourth period of the Heavy Equipment Technician program. Elsewhere, renovations to the A Wing at Main Campus allow NAIT to accommodate additional first and second-period students.
NAIT acquired the building – formerly a hanger – from the Government of Alberta. The first classes in the building began in September.
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