KAMLOOPS—Today university, industry and labour partnered to find better ways to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities within their community.
The memorandum of understanding signed between Domtar, Unifor 10 B, and Thompson Rivers University will enhance and enrich the quality of trades skills development within the Kamloops regional area.
“TRU’s first Strategic Priority is to ensure the academic and career success of our students. Our long-standing relationship with Domtar has always helped us in this task. Today that partnership is expanded in a visionary and innovative way. Unifor 10 B and Domtar have literally opened their doors to new and exciting opportunities for TRU’s students and faculty,” said Alan Shaver, TRU President and Vice-Chancellor, “I am deeply impressed by what these three partners have accomplished today and also deeply grateful to Unifor 10B and Domtar. Together we have taken our partnership to the next level.”
The goals of the agreement are to support TRU Trades training programs, “Foundation Programs”, and to train and, where possible, hire students from TRU Foundation Programs into the Domtar mill in Kamloops where as members in good standing of Unifor 10 B they can begin a successful career in trades.
“Unifor is committed to collaborating with communities for access to good jobs,” said Scott Doherty, Executive Assistant to Unifor’s National President.
TRU President and Vice-Chancellor Alan Shaver addresses the audience.
Examples of the ways TRU, Domtar and Unifor 10 B will work together include:
• Providing mill access to students and instructors to demonstrate systems and processes that cannot practically be demonstrated in class.
• Students will job shadow for the purpose of broadening their learning experience which will assist students in Pre-apprenticeship programs to make informed career decisions.
• Collaborate to create demonstration boards for new Instrumentation and Millwright programs.
• Explore work experience and other unique learning opportunities allowing students to acquire hours towards a specific trade.
• Domtar and Unifor 10 B will provide students with bursaries/scholarships.
• Domtar will continue to provide in-kind donations of surplus equipment.
• Domtar and Unifor 10 B will make special presentations promoting Domtar as a possible future employer within a unionized shop environment.
• Domtar and Unifor 10 B will support TRU with the development and business case to develop other trades programs that complement the mill and regional area requirements, such as Millwright and Pipefitting.
• Domtar and Unifor 10 B will strive to offer safety related training assistance for programs such as Risk Assessment.
“For Domtar to continue to be an employer of choice we need to create an environment where current and prospective employees can realize their career aspirations by learning and applying new skills,” said Carol Lapointe, general manager of the Kamloops pulp mill. “We believe by engaging in this partnership with Unifor 10 B and Thompson Rivers University we can help accomplish this.”
More information
Thompson Rivers University
Christopher Seguin
Vice-President Advancement
250-574-0474
Domtar
Josh Braverman
Manager, Corporate Communications
704-996-0321
Unifor
Ian Boyko
Communications Représentative
604.516.8009
