CNA digs deep for Oil and Gas industry
10/16/2006 9:48:06 AM
For more than forty years College of the North Atlantic (CNA) has tapped into the resources of this province to deliver training that makes a substantial contribution to the development of its workforce and economy.
Always progressive and proactive in this mandate, CNA hosted an Oil and Gas Stakeholder Forum and Strategy Session at the Fairmont Newfoundland Hotel in St. John’s on Wednesday, October 11, 2006. The theme of the forum was Training for the Future.
The college brought together senior executives and management personnel from industry and federal and provincial governments for a current assessment of the human resource, education and training requirements of the global petroleum industry. This forum focused on training priorities and strategic directions to enhance and strengthen Newfoundland and Labrador’s college program capabilities, facilities and resources in support of the oil and gas sector.
CNA recently established an Oil and Gas Steering Committee to evaluate the existing capacity and capability of the Engineering Technology and Industrial Trades programs.
“This is just the starting point,” says Brian Tobin, vice president of Academic and Student Services at CNA and chair of the new committee.
“At this stage we are assessing specific needs of the college in the development of new initiatives and infrastructure. Next, we work with government in its commitment to advance the college as a world-class training centre in the decade ahead.”
This new committee and the oil and gas forum are integral parts of the program initiative announced by Education Minister, the Honorable Joan Burke, in April of this year. The announced $1 million will support the development of new programs for meeting the future training needs of the oil and gas sector. They are also two of the many strategic initiatives from the White Paper in which the Department of Education has invested for strengthening and improving the public college system, says Bruce Hollett, president of CNA.
“The college program development process will be initiated once new program needs have been identified and confirmed during this consultation phase with various stakeholders,” said Hollett.
“This development covers expansion and enhancement of programming as well as infrastructure, offices, classrooms, shops, laboratory space, and state-of-the-art equipment and resources that will advance the college in becoming a world-class training centre.”
The college has provided education and training designed for the oil and gas industry for more than 20 years, and as such has acquired a solid reputation in responding to the training needs of industry throughout the world. CNA also draws from its experience with the campus in the State of Qatar, where it is delivering technology and trades programs designed specifically for the oil and gas industry in that country.
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For more information contact:
Roger Hulan
Marketing and Communications Manager
College of the North Atlantic
709. 643.7721
or
Tanya Alexander
Public Information Officer
College of the North Atlantic
709. 643.7928