Niagara Catholic's latest technology classroom has officially opened its doors at Lakeshore Catholic High School, following a grand opening celebration at the school on November 4.
The new lab, which features a CNC lathe, three manual mills, five manual lathes, and six welding booths (with space for a CNC mill that's yet to arrive) was built through a collaboration between Niagara Catholic, Cappa College, Oskam Steel, and the Canadian Tooling and Machining Association. It will help "build" a new generation of skilled manufacturers to support Niagara's expanding manufacturing industries, allowing young people to have meaningful, lucrative careers close to home.
During the celebration, Niagara Catholic's Coordinator for co-op education, youth apprenticeships, Specialist High Skills Major, technology and experiential learning David Cristelli, noted the importance of these partnerships.
"This is the culmination of effort from people throughout our community," he said, noting the contributions of the community partners. "All of these are valuable pieces of a puzzle that ultimately provides a bright picture for our students."
Lakeshore Catholic High School Principal John Markovich spoke about how the new manufacturing lab will benefit students and serve members of the greater south Niagara community.
"(This new lab will help us build) relationships with local manufacturing companies and is preparing students for the demanding skills trades opportunities in front of them," he said.
Among the benefits to students is the hope that Lakeshore Catholic High School will become a test centre for the Canadian Welding Bureau, which would fast-track students into apprenticeships and careers in welding and manufacturing.
Chair of the Board Danny Di Lorenzo brought greetings on behalf of the Board of Trustees and remarked on the importance of the manufacturing lab, calling it "truly a remarkable addition to this already outstanding school community."
He also thanked Niagara Catholic's senior leadership team for its commitment to technology education in our eight Catholic high schools.
"Their belief in providing students with access to innovative, hands-on working environments continues to strengthen our system and prepare young people for a bright future," he said.
Noting the growth of the manufacturing sector in Port Colborne, Mayor Bill Steele called Lakeshore Catholic's new manufacturing lab "a space that represents innovation, opportunity, and the future of Port Colborne."
"This lab gives students hands-on experience and real-world training that will prepare them for great careers in manufacturing, skilled trades, and technology. It's about creating options for our young people, so that when they graduate, they have the skills and confidence to step directly into well-paying, meaningful work."
Fort Erie's Mayor Wayne Redekop also listed several employers in his community that will need a growing skilled workforce, noting that partnerships such as the ones that led to the creation of Lakeshore Catholic's manufacturing lab "create so many more opportunities and so many more roads to success."
He specifically noted the new manufacturers in Fort Erie that would require a highly skilled workforce.
"Educated, skills employees are the only way that Port Colborne, Fort Erie, all of Niagara will progress and succeed. Without the workers, nothing can be made."
Jordan Sherlock, Executive Director of the Niagara Industrial Association, said if he had to do his education over again, he'd have chosen a career in the trades.
"Although I didn't know it at time, I think was the demand was always there for trades and manufacturing and construction and we're very happy to see it returning here to Niagara in the last two years," he said. "As the mayors pointed out, we're a vibrant sector, and we are a growing sector, with close to 25,000 employees in manufacturing in Niagara, over 650 businesses across all kinds of sub-sectors.
Grade 12 students Nathan Schneider and William Geerdink both plan for a career in the trades. They said Lakeshore Catholic's technology programs helped them find their career pathways.
"This actually wasn't my plan. My original plan was something mechanic related but in Grade 10 I realized that my path was so extensive that I could pick whatever I wanted, and I decided to pick something that I really enjoy, and I love, which was to be a millwright, and this class, specifically, taught me key elements of that," said Nathan, whose father works at Stelco. His plan is to attend Mohawk College in September and hopes to secure a co-op placement at Stelco through his program.
William said he started high school without a career path in mind. Now, he hopes to turn his co-op placement at Oskam Steel, into a job after graduation.
"Then I took a tech class in Grade 9, and it kind of introduced everything ... and I found this class offered more opportunity in things that I wanted to do. I also tried welding and found it enjoyable so I also thought of the aspect that I want to have a job in the future that I'm always going to enjoy."
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