College of the Rockies’ mobile haul truck simulator has travelled north to Williams Lake, marking its inaugural trip to deliver training.
From July 7 to 30, the simulator is being utilized by students in the Haul Truck Operator program being put on by the College in partnership with the Aboriginal Mentoring and Training Association (AMTA) and Taseko’s Gibraltar mine. The simulator will return to the area from September 5 to 23 for another round of training.
College of the Rockies’ Director, Continuing Education, Contract Training and Regional Campus Operations Leah Bradish says, “We are thrilled to have our mobile simulator out on the road. Our partnerships with AMTA, the Gibraltar mine – and soon Nicola Valley Institute of Technology – allow us the opportunity to have the Haul Truck Operator training made available to students outside of the Kootenay region. In fact, we can bring the mobile simulator anywhere in Western Canada so we look forward to exploring additional partnerships in the future.”
“It is a great opportunity for AMTA candidates to access practical training that will prepare them for secure employment. Not only are they excelling in their class, they are gaining confidence and demonstrating they have what it takes to be successful” Sharon McLeod, Regional Manager, BC Northeast Region, Aboriginal Mentoring & Training Association.
In between trips to Williams Lake, the mobile simulator will make its way to Merritt where training will be provided by the College in partnership with AMTA and NVIT from August 5 to 29.
College of the Rockies’ Haul Truck Operator program is approaching its first year anniversary and has seen over one hundred students graduate. Training on the state-of-the-art, motion-based simulators provide students with hands-on experience in real-life scenarios.
“I am so glad that I was able to gain experience in emergency scenarios in a simulator so I know how to react if I run into trouble on the job. I am definitely going to be more comfortable driving a haul truck in my new job having been through this training,” adds program graduate Meagan Sam.
In addition to the mobile simulator, fixed simulators and training are available at the Cranbrook and Fernie campuses on a monthly basis.
More information on the Haul Truck Operator program.