College of New Caledonia Hosts Coastal GasLink Safety Week
More than 100 industry safety certifications were earned during the Coastal GasLink Safety Week that ran at the College of New Caledonia (CNC).
Courses were offered at five of CNC’s six campuses with 26 registrants in Mackenzie, 17 in Burns Lake, 12 in Vanderhoof, 16 in Fort St. James, and 34 in Prince George. Of those, 23 per cent self-identified as Indigenous from several Indigenous communities.
Ashley Leon, an off-reserve member of the Nak’azdli Whut’en Band, completed CNC’s Natural Resource and Forestry Technology program before transitioning into work in the forestry sector.
Now working with CGL as a community liaison for Nak’azdli, she enrolled in the CGL Safety Week to further her education and enhance her onsite work. Throughout the week, she received tickets in Transportation of Dangerous Goods, Ground Disturbance, Pipeline Construction Safety Training, and Occupational First Aid Level 1.
“With this training, I expect to be more confident in the workplace and implement the skills I acquired in my day-to-day work on site,” she said. “I’m privileged to the have this opportunity and quite grateful as well.”
Other courses offered throughout CGL Safety Week included Fall Protection, Hazard Assessment, Wilderness and Bear Awareness, and WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System).
Coastal GasLink Safety Week is part of a $150,000 investment from TC Energy’s Coastal GasLink Project. Part of the investment is supporting the success of CNC trades and technologies students with awards. Another portion is funding the safety week to support learners in area communities.
Since 2015, Coastal GasLink has provided funding totaling $400,000 to support CNC students through:
- The Pathway to Pipeline: CNC Skills Fund Bursaries;
- Free certification training during safety week events; and
- New equipment to enhance training opportunities in heavy mechanical, welding, metal fabrication, power engineering, professional cook, electrical, and carpentry.