Tec Voc High School soaring to new heights with aerospace program upgrade

Manitoba students at Tec Voc High School work in the newly unveiled state-of-the-art aerospace shop on Jan. 11, 2024. (Source: CTV News Winnipeg)

Manitoba students at Tec Voc High School are getting ready to soar to new heights with a newly unveiled state-of-the-art aerospace shop.

While students have been using the newly renovated space since mid-November, it was officially unveiled Thursday.

"I can tell you, when I was a student in school we didn't have this type of support and these kinds of programs in place," said Nello Altomare, the provincial minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning.

"We now have a need for places like we have here a Tec Voc – state of the art, cutting edge places for kids to learn, grow and then apply their skills later as adults."

The high school has been offering the aerospace program since 1996, giving students training on industry equipment.

"Our students who are studying aviation and aerospace technologies are learning to apply problem-based thinking that integrates science, technology, engineering and math to serve them in their future careers," said Tamara Kuly, board chair for the Winnipeg School Division.

The new shop will provide a larger space for the aerospace program, along with the welding and machining shops – allowing 272 students in grades 9 to 12 as well as 43 adult students to participate in the program.

Students who complete Tec Voc's aerospace program meet apprenticeship standards for the level 1 aviation maintenance journeyperson program.

Altomare said the provincial government has contributed $4.3 million to the project that started in 2015.

Drew Tapley, an aviation and aerospace teacher and department head of heavy vocational at the school, said this project will allow the program to double enrollment.

Altomare said this will help alleviate staffing pressures felt across the country, as the program will provide the properly trained staff for the industry right here in Manitoba "We do have a large aerospace industry here in the Province of Manitoba. Matter of fact, Manitoba is probably in the top three in the country," Altomare said.