News Archives: GPRC Announces Exciting Wheels to Workforce Program (W2W)
Thursday, January 5th, 2017
GRANDE PRAIRIE – Grande Prairie Regional College’s (GPRC) is bringing an exciting opportunity to learners in our region with Wheels to Workforce program (W2W).
“GPRC Continuing Education is dedication to providing learners with access to high quality and diverse lifelong learning opportunities,” says Don Gnatiuk, GPRC President and CEO. “We are proud to be able to respond to our region, community and industry demand with new programing designed to give learners the skills they need to achieve the careers they want.”
The Wheels to Workforce program is fully funded by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The program is available to only eight qualified students starting on February 6, 2017 on GPRC’s Grande Prairie campus.
Qualified students refer to those unemployed without assistance, underemployed or a student. All students must possess a valid Class 5 Alberta License with the Graduated Driver License removed. All qualified must be 18 years of age but not over the age of 30.
“This is an amazing opportunity for our students that’s being made possible by the Government of Canada,” says Darlene MacDonald, GPRC Continuing Education Director. “The demand for Class 1 Drivers trained for gas field operations in Grande Prairie is continuously growing with an astonishing 97 job postings just last week on Indeed.com.”
Wheels to Workforce graduates will take part in a ten-week program, including classroom learning, 30-hours of one-on-one driver training and an exciting new work practicum to finish off the program. Graduates leave with all the workforce tickets required to work in the field including Class 1 Driver’s License, Alberta Air Brakes (Q Endorsement), H2S Alive, First Aid Training, Cargo Securement, WHMIS, ODA (ENFORM’s Oilfield Driver Awareness), Confined Space Awareness, Ground Disturbance, Fall Protection, Petroleum Safety Training (ENFORM), Detection and Control, and Hours of Service and Fatigue Management.
GPRC currently offers similar programing to the public for a fee of around $8,500-$10,000 per student, but with the Wheels to Workforce program this fee is fully covered.
“I would recommend Class 1 Driver Training because, in just a short period of time, you get a skilled Trade that is always in demand. I have been through three or four recessions and have never been out of work,” says Andy Murley, GPRC Continuing Education Driving Instructor.
This program is first come, first qualified, first seated. If you are interested in learning more about and/or applying please contact GPRC Continuing Education, ce@gprc.ab.ca or by phone 780-539-2975 or visit the Continuing Education webpage.
In addition to this, there is a similar project being offered in Hinton toward the end of February and throughout March. Please contact the GPRC Hinton Campus for more information, lseabrook@gprc.ab.ca or by phone 780-865-7666 or visit the Hinton Campus webpage.
GPRC is a comprehensive community institution, publicly supported to provide opportunities in post-secondary education in northwestern Alberta. Established in 1966 in Grande Prairie, GPRC now includes campuses in Fairview and Grande Prairie, and learning centres in Edson, Grande Cache, Hinton and Jasper. GPRC offers a wide variety of career certificates and diplomas, pre-employment and apprenticeship trades, university transfer studies, and several opportunities for on-campus degree completion at baccalaureate and master levels through collaborations with four-year universities. For more information, visit gprc.ab.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Mark Evans
GPRC
Corporate Communications
Phone: 780-539-2951