Expanded training facility to ease shortage of welders in Manitoba

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Winnipeg -

With an eye toward easing a critical shortage of welders, the province has officially opened an expanded training centre at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT)’s Henlow campus.

A news release from the province describes the newly expanded facility as “state of the art,” and calls it the largest expansion of the Henlow facility in over 20 years.

MITT president and CEO Ray Karasevich said the welding shop will go a long way toward easing a shortage of welders in Manitoba.

“We hear from industry every week that there is a critical shortage of welders in the labour force and know this space will make room for more students at the high school and post-secondary levels as well as short-term training specifically for industry,” said Karasevich.

The expansion adds 4,000 square feet to the existing welding shop, including 36 new welding stations. Additionally, it includes an innovation skills lab, which is described as a space to introduce students to new technologies in manufacturing and welding, and a hub for industry on advanced manufacturing projects, prototyping and troubleshooting.

Advanced education minister Jon Reyes said the province has invested $4.5 million in the project.

“The funding is part of the Manitoba government’s investment in the province’s education and training strategy that ensures the future workforce has more opportunities to learn and develop the skills they need to land in-demand jobs in Manitoba,” said Reyes.

Additionally, MITT signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) to further enhance its ability to support the Manitoba welding industry. The MOU designates MITT as a training institute for CWB programming, making MITT a top-tier training facility for CWB in Manitoba. MITT will also be the centralized location for all CWB education supervisor and inspector courses in Manitoba, the news release states.