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EDMONTON – The Alberta government is investing $43 million in a new apprenticeship and technology-based education centre on the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s (NAIT) Edmonton campus.

The Advanced Skills Centre (ASC) will focus on training for the construction, transportation, manufacturing and energy sectors, a release said.

“The Advanced Skills Centre at NAIT will see more apprentices trained in four sectors critical to our economy, while fostering innovation not just in the Edmonton region, but throughout northern Alberta and beyond,” said Alberta Minister of Advanced Education Rajan Sawhney in a statement.

The centre will add 640,000 square feet of learning space at NAIT’s main campus when construction starts in 2025.

“This funding from Alberta’s government acknowledges the crucial role of skilled trades in the economy and NAIT’s role in delivering apprenticeship education that is essential for our province’s prosperity. In collaboration with industry and the community, NAIT is set to modernize and expand our training capabilities. This is an investment in our vision, setting the stage for Alberta’s future,” NAIT president and CEO Laura Jo Gunter added.

Industry leaders present at the announcement on NAIT’s campus on May 28 voiced their encouragement for the new centre.

“With so many projects on the horizon, the province’s future has never looked brighter. This state-of-the art facility goes a long way to ensuring we have the workforce we need today to build the infrastructure we need tomorrow,” PCL Construction Heavy Industrial chief operating officer Jason Idler said.

“NAIT’s new Advanced Skills Centre will directly support Alberta’s economic future. To help ensure corporate investment, industry needs learning spaces that can pivot to serve labour market needs, an interdisciplinary approach that better equips learners for a dynamic and changing workplace, and in higher numbers to serve a growing market. Inter Pipeline thinks this is a step in the right direction,” Inter Pipelines Heartland petrochemical complex operations vice-president Brendan Curely added.