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Sudbury’s Cambrian College graduated 13 Aboriginal students from its line crew ground support training program, the fourth cohort of the program, which started out as a pilot project in 2013.
The graduates have completed safety modules and hands-on training in job-site tasks, including pole line construction, working at heights, hoisting and rigging, and crane operation, in order to prepare for opportunities with power and construction companies.
Ron Sarazin, special projects coordinator at Gezhtoojig Employment & Training, said 80 per cent of the graduates find employment in the field after completion of the program. The free, 15-week course prepares graduates for entry-level careers in the powerline and construction industries.
Students hail from First Nation communities from around northeastern Ontario.
The next intake of the program — available to applicants between the ages of 18 and 29 — runs from August 24 to December 4.
The course is a joint initiative of Gezhtoojig Employment & Training, Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, and Cambrian College, along with industry partners.
