Hands-on Central

New 'Marine Simulation Centre' for BCIT's Marine Campus

BC Ferries is investing in a unique collaboration of regional businesses and BCIT to create a Marine Simulation Centre at the BCIT Marine Campus.

This Centre will provide hands-on training for marine professionals and will be a valuable employee training resource for companies like BC Ferries. This program is in response to urgent needs to upgrade existing BCIT training resources for students and to meet demands from the local marine industry for requisite training opportunities.

In addition, BC Ferries has recently signed a memorandum of understanding to partner in a five-year agreement with the BCIT Marine Campus to assist its employees to attain and advance their professional certification.

Read the full BCIT news release for more information.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Student Wins Silver at the WorldSkills Competition

BCIT's Aerospace (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer) student Brian Everts brought home a silver medal in Aircraft Maintenance from the WorldSkills Competition held in Calgary September 1-7.

Every two years, hundreds of the best young professionals from trades, service and technical programs around the world gather at the WorldSkills Competition to showcase their talents and abilities. This year’s event saw more than 900 competitors vie for medals and awards over four days of intense, often highly stressful, competition in 45 different skill areas ranging from sheet metal technology to mobile robotics.

Brian competed against the best of his peers drawn from regional and national skill competitions held in 51 countries and regions.

Congratulations, Brian! Photo by WorldSkills on Flickr.

Interior Design Students Win Scholarships

On November 16, three Interior Design students were awarded scholarships for their exceptional work in Interior Design 2390 (Materials 1).
Ronee Cheung, Grace O, and Sherri Summers each received a $1,000 scholarship presented by Wayne Hand, Associate Dean, School of Construction and the Environment.

Each of these students demonstrated professionalism and excellence in their coursework, were willing to share their knowledge and skills, and showed the innovative, sustainable application of materials in their projects. The Interior Design Department Materials 1 Scholarship was created to thank industry suppliers for their time and contributions to the Interior Design program. Materials 1 (INTD 2390) is part of the Management Certificate in Interior Design.

Over the academic year, instructors selected candidates from each of their Materials 1 courses. At the end of the year, all the candidates were put together for a final judging, during which the three candidates were chosen. Approximately 200 students took this course during the 2008-2009 academic year.

The Interior Design department would like to thank the over 30 companies and many individuals who continue to contribute to the Interior Design program at BCIT and enrich the students’ educational experiences.

Sky High and Geared up: Millwrights on the Rise at Whistler Blackcomb

Meet Sean Duff, a BCIT graduate of the Millwright Apprenticeship program, who is currently working on the day-to-day maintenance of the PEAK 2 PEAK gondola at the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort.

Millwrights are "machine doctors," as they are expected to install, maintain and repair all types of machinery and heavy mechanical equipment in almost any industry.

Offered through BCIT's School of Energy, the Millwright program is an excellent option for people who enjoy career diversity and all aspects of industry and machinery.