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 Students joined dignitaries, businesses and district education staff to cut the ribbon opening the Kimberlite Career and Technical Centre, April 1. From left, Minister of Education Charles Dent makes the cut with John McConnell of De Beers, YCS chair Shannon Gullberg and Superintendent Kern Von Hagen. - Lisa Scott/NNSL photo |
Lisa Scott
Northern News Services
The technical training centre, christened the Kimberlite Career and Technical Centre at the April 1 celebration, is just the beginning of a vision of the district, said Kern Von Hagen, superintendent of Yellowknife Catholic Schools.
"Today is a realization of part of a vision that we have for technology training in the North," he said.
"We feel that we need more room in here yet," he said of the 600-square-metre facility located across 44th Street from St. Patrick High School.
The $1.8 million centre includes facilities for teaching mechanics, electronics, welding, construction, cosmetology, and a multi-station lab where students can work on individual projects. The centre is open to YCS, Yellowknife Education District No. 1 and Aurora College students. Currently, there are 58 students enrolled and four instructors.
Von Hagen referred to the building as a "prototype," with the hope that the concept can extend across the NWT.
"We feel that this can be done in other regional centres," he said, including Inuvik, Hay River, Fort Smith and Rae/Edzo as possible expansion areas.
A partnership with Yellowknife No. 1 was evident at the event as trustees and staff from both districts mingled with wine glasses and appetizers in hand.
In the last month the districts have met to discuss sharing facilities. Starting in September, Catholic students will benefit from the automotive technology facility at Sir John Franklin high school, while Yellowknife 1 students will use the new cosmetology facilities of YCS.
"We're working together. We're developing partnerships," said Judith Knapp, superintendent of Yellowknife 1.
The school boards already collaborate in many ways, said Knapp, adding September's technology swap is just another connection.
"We'll see how it goes from there on," she said.
Education Minister Charles Dent stood alongside De Beers vice-president of NWT projects John McConnell, board chair Shannon Gullberg, Von Hagen and Diavik representative Gerard Rowe for the official ribbon cutting.
Programs have been up and running since Jan. 5 in the completed building, which was funded through YCS, a $500,000 donation by De Beers, the GNWT and various community sponsors.
