Sault College brass took a tour of the post-secondary school’s newly expanded and improved Motive Power Lab Thursday.
The lab, designed to simulate the workplace, is the learning centre for students training for careers in skilled trades such as heavy equipment and truck repair.
The large-scale expansion and improvement was made possible with $2.3 million in funding announced by Sault MPP David Orazietti in May
The money allowed for a bright, renovated expansion of dark and aging workshops, purchase of new equipment and tools and an elevator to connect students with second-floor classroom spaces.
Students can view program-related instruction on large screens located on the walls of the shop.
The brief tour of the facility preceded Thursday’s Sault College board of governors meeting.
Items discussed at the meeting included an update from Ron Common, Sault College president, on an outreach from the college to its alumni in preparation for the Ontario community college system’s approaching 50th anniversary celebrations in 2017.
Using the college’s student information system, Common said a total of 33,293 letters were mailed out to college alumni.
Common said 10,000 Sault College grads are now available through electronic communication in advance of next year’s celebrations.
Common said those celebrations will include several alumni speaker events, which will be recorded and shared by Sault College through YouTube.