The Canadian Welding Association is partnering with Northern College

Media Release (pdf)

Northern College has secured funding from the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and industry to develop a business plan for an applied innovation and development facility to be affiliated with the College’s School of Welding Engineering Technology, based in Kirkland Lake in Northern Ontario.

As a first step in the project, the College understands the necessity of getting an up-to-date picture of the welding industry in Canada, the major issues it is facing and the key drivers for the future. The College approached the Canadian Welding Association to play a lead role in helping to develop a Vision for the industry and to subsequently share that vision with all involved in the industry.

Opening the consultation process with industry and government

To this end, the following Industry Scan has been developed as an initial discussion point. The scan has been prepared by Suthey Holler Associates (contact: crees@onlink.net), the consulting firm that is conducting the work for Northern College. The scan is based on materials available from the American Welding Society, the Canadian Welding Association and other published sources. We would appreciate if you would respond to the questionnaire that is associated with the scan.

Responses to the scan will be used as input to an industry “Visioning” Forum that will be held in Whitby, Ontario, on Friday, December 12, 2003. In addition to Northern College and the CWA, local sponsors of the Forum will include the Durham College Whitby Skills Training Centre and the Durham Region Local Training Board.

Participation at the forum will be limited to about 25 participants. If you would like to attend or provide input into the process please complete the Questionnaire. (Note that Question 3 refers to an attached document, A Scan of the Welding Industry and Emerging Key Issues (pdf), that you might want to review before proceeding.)

Name
Title
Company
Telephone
Email address
I will attend the Visioning forum: Yes     No

1. What is the image of welding in Canada? If you believe it needs to be improved,
   what should be done to improve it?
   
   
    
2. In terms of overall growth potential and welding technology needs, which three industries would you rank as most important for the next 10 years?
   
    
    
3. In the attached document, A Scan of the Welding Industry and Emerging Key Issues (pdf), four factors are identified that will determine the growth of welding as an “enabling technology”:
   
   • Competitive pressures;
   • A shortage of skilled and trained workers;
   • Knowledge and technology transfer;
   • International quality standards.
   
   Do you agree that these are the most important factors? Are there others that you would add?
   
   
    
4. With respect to each of these factors, what are the most important gaps that need to be addressed?
   
   
     
5. What do you see as the most important gap that a technical materials joining institute would fulfill to act as a complement to welding education programs, research organizations and practical industry needs?
   
   
   

Thank you for your input.

Click ONCE to submit