Doors open to public Friday at Lethbridge College’s Wind Industry Day and Open House
Lethbridge College is opening the massive doors to its Wind Turbine Technician shop Friday to show the community the great heights learners go to getting the hands-on training needed to succeed in a sustainable industry.
The public is invited to take part in the Wind Industry Day and Open House by dropping in between 1 and 6 p.m. Friday, April 8, at TT1951 to meet the team from the college’s School of Renewable Energy and representatives from more than a dozen wind companies from across Canada. The event will showcase the tools, equipment and technology used by students in the program, as well as the opportunities awaiting those interested in working in one of these in-demand jobs. Visitors can park at the south end of campus and enter the south doors of the Trades, Technologies and Innovation Facility to access the lab.
“The wind industry is just booming right now,” says Colin Wynder, chair of the School of Renewable Energy at Lethbridge College. “We have so many grads going out and working in this field, and we can’t even supply enough people for what companies need right now. We hope people will come Friday to see what this industry is all about – and learn how our program here at the college can prepare them for so many opportunities.”
Lethbridge College’s state-of-the-art Wind Turbine Technician lab includes:
• A new nacelle that is the same type used in wind farms near Pincher Creek and Bow Island, providing invaluable training for students. It is a massive learning tool – weighing in at 309,000 pounds – or more than a railroad locomotive.
• An 8,400-square-foot shop space with a dedicated blade repair room and a 25-foot high indoor rescue training platform.
• A 65-foot outdoor training tower. Lethbridge College’s one-year, nationally recognized program is designed to meet the international certification standard and prepares students to write competency exams as well as the first-period Electrician Apprenticeship provincial exam. Students learn from instructors who have experience in the wind turbine industry, earn numerous safety certificates, gain practical experience as they work on actual wind turbine components in the shop and scale the training tower that’s located right on campus.