Construction of the new Technology Education building at Liverpool Regional High School is underway.

Regional Executive Director of South Shore Regional Centre for Education Paul Ash says the new facility will open up more options for students.

“Unfortunately, sometimes people who don’t have those early experiences, in terms of exposure, the hands-on aspect of it, don’t really have a clear direction,” said Ash. “We’re hoping with the skill trades facility being there, students can focus on the areas they want to go to.”

Ash says the trades programs are so popular LRHS will be expanding to two classes of the Construction 11 program and a class for Skilled Trades 10 this fall.

Students in those programs gain valuable experience that show what options are open to them in their post-secondary education.

“Essentially they’re carpentry skills, plumbing skills, electrical skills; they’re exposed to a wide variety of the different skills so that they’re better able to make the decision about where they’d like to specialize when they go into NSCC,” said Ash.

Workers build the frame of the new Tech Ed facility. Photo by Ed Halverson.

LRHS is working to secure a Tech Ed teacher who is already a skilled tradesperson to provide students another leg up in their careers.

“If we have a skilled tradesperson who’s teaching the class, the students are actually building hours towards their apprenticeship while they’re at the high school level,” said Ash.

The $975,000 project funded through the Department of Education and awarded to Rikjak Construction is set to be complete by September.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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