New Caterpillar 323 excavator and Manitowoc 8500 mobile crane, financed through a cost-sharing agreement between IUOE Local 115 and the Government of Canada
The Government of Canada will provide $575,000 over three years to the IUOETA Indigenous Training Partnerships Project, to be delivered by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 115 Training Association.
The funding supports the Local’s purchase of state-of-the-art equipment that will help project participants develop skills and gain employment in the Mobile Crane Operator and Heavy Equipment Operator Red Seal trades.
The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Vancouver South, announced the funding on June 16 on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour. Minister Sajjan visited the IUOETA Heavy Equipment Rodeo and Open House to greet members and deliver the government’s message of support for union-based training.
This project is funded under the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP). It will provide practical experience to help apprentices, including Indigenous people and women, succeed as they enter the workforce in their Red Seal trade.
“Through its financial support for the IUOE Training Association, the Government of Canada has shown that it recognizes the value of trades training,” said IUOE Local 115 Business Manager Brian Cochrane. “The new crane and excavator will provide our students with the best in hands-on experience. This equipment will ensure a training focus on safety and quality, and help us to build a skilled and inclusive workforce for the future.”
The Union Training and Innovation Program, which was announced in the 2016 federal budget, targets the Red Seal trades. It is expected that the Program will:
- help improve the quality of training through investments in equipment;
- support innovative approaches and partnerships with other stakeholders; and
- reduce barriers to participation and success in the trades for key groups including women and Indigenous people.
More details: Government of Canada funds project with IUOE Local 115, Newswire.ca
Cutting the ribbon for the new equipment, June 16, 2018: Brian Cochrane, IUOE Local 115 Business Manager; Hon. Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence; Dan Ruimy, Member of Parliament for Maple Ridge; Jeff Gorham, IUOETA Training Administrator
