A new $45-million trades centre will double apprenticeship opportunities at Assiniboine Community College (ACC), said Manitoba’s Premier Gary Doer, thereby boosting the province’s supply of skilled labourers to meet the needs of a fast-growing provincial economy.

“Today’s
announcement means more opportunities for Manitoba’s young people and
more skilled tradespeople to help Manitoba’s booming economy continue
to grow,” said Doer.



The
second phase of the relocation of Assiniboine to the former site of the
Brandon Mental Health Centre (BMHC) will see the historic Pine Ridge
building redeveloped and expanded to deliver a state-of-the-art
training facility for students.



“This is
an exciting time for Brandon and the province,” said Joel Ward, college
president. “This facility will allow us to increase our enrolment and
deliver specialized training for our industry partners. Our economy is
dependent on a solution to the current skilled labour shortage and ACC
is working with government to provide that solution.”



Doer
said the facility will be called the Len Evans Centre for Trades and
Technology, in honour of the former MLA who represented Brandon East
for 30 years. The premier noted today’s announcement honours an
election commitment to double apprenticeship opportunities at ACC. The
centre will have the capacity to deliver apprenticeship and training
opportunities to 1404 students, up from a current capacity of 627
including 500 new apprenticeship spaces. The project is scheduled to be
completed in time for the commencement of classes in September 2010.