news release
news releaseBCIT launches elite Aerospace Campus with $10 million in support funding from industry partners and friendsOctober 12, 2007 RICHMOND, BC: On June 2, 2003 the Government of British Columbia committed $16.4 million to BCIT in seed funding for a project focused on meeting the educational needs of a growing aerospace industry in BC. Building on this foundation, today BCIT not only opens its new aerospace campus in Richmond but also celebrates $10 million in funding support from industry partners and friends who have ensured this campus is among the leaders in North America."Educating tomorrow's professionals is at the heart of BCIT and our ability to do this requires leading-edge resources and technology," says Laurie Clarke, BCIT's Vice President of Development and Executive Director of BCIT's Foundation and Alumni Association. Three years ago BCIT embarked on the "Soaring to Excel" Campaign, an initiative designed to provide the resources for teaching and learning, and for the strategic use of technology through simulation and synthetic based training at the new campus. "At no time in our history has technology played a more pervasive role in education than now," continues Clarke. "Today's aerospace students interact daily with increasingly complex technological systems and face multidimensional challenges in the classroom and in the workplace after graduation. The $10 million campaign has enabled BCIT to respond to these needs by building an environment where students can use the latest technology to translate information, ideas, and skills into tools for problem solving and simulation based training." Examples of these resources include a virtual control tower with an "out of the window" display and a virtual radar simulation that mirrors both enroute and terminal air traffic control environments. It provides the most modern, cost effective air traffic controller training available today. BCIT will enjoy the distinction of being the first post-secondary institution in Canada to have 3D visual tower simulation technology, joining an elite handful of schools in North America which includes the University of North Dakota, Embry-Riddle and Dade College School of Aviation in Miami. While corporate leaders across the country already recognize BCIT as Canada's premier polytechnic, their investments underline the public's trust in BCIT to deliver leading-edge programs. This is also evidenced by their investment in BCIT graduates: $535,000 of the total $10 million was directed toward scholarships and bursaries, ensuring qualified students are able to pursue careers in aerospace. -30- Allison Markin, Media Relations Manager |