NAIT in Motion

An initiative of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is bringing practical training and new employment possibilities to remote communities throughout western and northern Canada.

Called NAIT in Motion, the initiative centres around two mobile shops-on-wheels, hooked up to heavy-duty trucks for transport to remote areas. Each self-contained 53-ft. unit is fully equipped for trades training in welding, millwright, machining, gasfitting, pipefitting/steamfitting and other high-demand fields.

The mobile shops, first introduced in 2004, are in constant demand, particularly in Aboriginal communities throughout northern Alberta. By dramatically altering the traditional definitions of distance learning, they help NAIT meet its goal of increasing access to education for Aboriginal students.

A popular program delivered by NAIT in Motion is the 20-week Introduction to Trades. This program contains several components which can be customized to suit a particular group of learners, including fundamental trade skills, safety certification, Alberta Apprenticeship Exam preparation and personal development skills. Following completion of the program, participants are job-ready, with the necessary skills to be effective in the workplace.

The inaugural class of Introduction to Trades was conducted in Conklin, Alberta, an Aboriginal community in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. The Conklin training project was a huge success, with 10 of the 12 students graduating and receiving full-time employment immediately.

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