Hay River welding program boosted
Diamond Jenness Secondary School awarded $50,000 over 10 years to teach the trade
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Monday, March 7, 2016
HAY RIVER
The welding program at Diamond Jenness Secondary School has received a significant financial boost.
A representative of the Canadian Welding Association Foundation (CWA Foundation) flew up from Ontario to present a symbolic cheque for $50,000 to the school at an assembly on Feb. 26.
The funding - $5,000 a year for 10 years - comes from that foundation in partnership with the Marinucci Family Foundation.
Diamond Jenness is one of 10 high schools across Canada to receive this support.
Andrew Bartlett, the technical outreach officer for the CWA Foundation, made the presentation, explaining the money could be used for whatever a welding program wants - upgrading equipment, buying supplies, training instructors or anything else.
"In visiting high schools across the country, we've noticed limited budgets at the high school level in welding programs," he said.
Speaking to News/North following the presentation, Bartlett said Diamond Jenness was chosen after his research found it offers a successful welding program.
Tim Borchuk, the welding instructor and vice-principal at Diamond Jenness, was very pleased to receive the funding.
"It's huge. With numbers declining in all the schools across the Northwest Territories and based on the formula funding - we're funded based on the number of students - it gets pretty tough to operate a shop like this," he said.
Borchuk's shop offers welding, mechanics and wood construction and about 20 to 30 students go through the welding program each year.
Eduardo Lau-a, one of those students, said it is good for the program to receive the funding.
"Money is always tight," he said. "It would help."
The Grade 12 student, who has been learning welding for three years, is considering it as a career when he graduates.
"I want to try something in trades, for sure," he said. "Welding is my main choice."
The funding for the schools was originally announced in September.
The founder and chairperson of the Marinucci Family Foundation is John Marinucci, a member of the board of directors for the CWA Foundation.
Marinucci retired in 2009 as president and CEO of New Flyer, which builds buses, and previously served as president of National Steel Car.
Borchuk expressed his appreciation to the CWA Foundation and the Marinucci Family Foundation for the financial support, adding, "It's going to make a big difference to our school."
