Rankin Inlet (Mar 01/06) - Nunavut's first trade school will be in Rankin Inlet.

Premier Paul Okalik was in Rankin with Education Minister Ed Picco and Rankin South MLA Levinia Brown to make the announcement earlier this month.

The Government of Nunavut (GN) has committed $10 million to the development of the Nunavut Trade School through its Northern Strategy funding.

The GN will renovate the Community and Government Services plumbing shop to house the school, as well as construct a residence for out-of-town students once approved by the legislative assembly.

Nunavut Arctic College (NAC) will take the lead in developing programs at the school, expected to be in operation by 2009.

The creation of the trade school was one of the GN's top priorities as set out in Pinasuaqtavut.

Okalik said the school will be a valuable addition in a number of areas, including high school graduates being able to attend a Nunavut facility to prepare for jobs in the mining sector.

He said Rankin proved itself to be the ideal location for the facility during GN studies.

"We looked throughout Nunavut for facilities we could use when we were selecting the location for the trade school," said Okalik.

"We looked at our own assets and abandoned mines, and we even talked to the military about Rankin's FOL site, but found that was not a feasible option.

"In looking at the overall infrastructure availability, and the central location of Rankin, we felt this was the most viable and readily-available location.

"We didn't want to build new infrastructure that would take more time and additional dollars we really didn't have."

Mike Shouldice is the campus director for NAC's Kivalliq campus in Rankin.

He said the college sees heavy-duty mechanics, heavy equipment and construction as the trades most likely to provide employment in Nunavut, especially as the mining industry continues to develop in the territory.

"We want to offer an access program every year so people can be academically prepared when they enter their trades training," said Shouldice.

"And, in addition to a student's first year in a program being pre-employment, we'd like to establish an exit point for a technician's certificate at the end of the year.

"Now that the school has been announced, we'll spend the next three years designing, building and developing its programs."

Shouldice said the school will eventually have carpentry and welding sections, as well as computer labs.

"We're looking at what businesses may develop, where the mines are going and what the transportation industry may look like.

"So, we have a number of programs we're looking at designing."

About $2 million was set aside in the GN's last capital budget for a new correctional facility.

Okalik said Rankin is one site being seriously considered for the facility.

"The trade school does not, in any way, exclude Rankin from being named as the site of the correctional centre," said Okalik.

"We will be making an announcement concerning the facility during the next few months."

Rankin Mayor Lorne Kusugak said the trade school is the best news Rankin has received in recent years.

Kusugak doesn't anticipate any problems with the residence being approved by the assembly.

"One goes hand in hand with the other," said Kusugak.

"You can't have a trade school with no place for students to stay."

Kusugak said the hamlet will continue to lobby for the correctional facility.

He said Rankin is the perfect location for the centre, which will bring badly needed jobs to the community.

"We expect the site to be announced during the spring, and the majority of people here see the facility as a positive step for bringing jobs to Rankin.

"There are no real fears about the project because people in jail aren't walking around the community and, when they do their time, they're sent home.

"A correctional facility provides real jobs that can be filled from the community and, just as importantly, from the territory.

"They're not jobs that require people from the south."