Investments by the Provincial Government in education and training reflect the growth of the oil and gas industry in Newfoundland and Labrador and are supporting future growth of the sector. The second Oil and Gas Stakeholder Forum, Training for the Future, is taking place in St. John�s today. Sponsored by College of the North Atlantic, the forum brings together key stakeholders to consider how education and training can better serve the needs of the oil and gas industry.

The Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Education, addressed the opening session this morning. "With our phenomenal natural resources, we are positioning Newfoundland and Labrador as a world leader in oil and gas research and development," said Minister Burke. "It is critical that we have the educational programs, training and infrastructure to support this development. The Provincial Government is making significant investments to ensure we have a skilled labour force to make the most of opportunities in the petroleum industry."

Over the past two years, the Williams Government has allocated $43.6 million in the areas of apprenticeship, science and technology, programming, training and infrastructure. This funding has, among other things, modernized apprenticeship shops, supported the Skills Task Force recommendations and doubled the capacity to offer industrial trades at the College of the North Atlantic. This unprecedented support for apprenticeship and skilled trades means the province will have the skilled labour market in place to support major inshore and offshore development projects.

In recent years, $1 million has been invested to create two new oil and gas programs at College of the North Atlantic. This funding has allowed an increase in the number of seats in petroleum-related technology programs.

Support for the oil and gas industry, and ocean technology, is also being improved through a $1 million investment to create the School of Ocean Technology at the Marine Institute. This school will produce qualified personnel with education and training specifically targeting the needs of the ocean technology sector. It builds on an existing agreement with the British Columbia Institute of Technology to jointly develop and deliver national training programs for the offshore petroleum and natural gas industry. The Marine institute was also able to purchase high-end water-jet cutting technology with a $350,000 Provincial Government investment.

Memorial University is at the frontier of oil and petroleum research with initiatives such as the Landmark Visualization Laboratory, the offshore safety centre and bridge simulator, and the introduction of a masters degree in oil and gas studies. The Williams Government is also supporting the development of a process engineering degree program, further cementing the university�s reputation as a world-class oil and gas educational institution.

Education is very much part of the Provincial Government�s overall vision for a successful economy, with a White Paper initiative of $22.5 million being invested over three years for an expanded Industrial Research and Innovation Fund. These funds are helping to position our post-secondary institutions as key partners in supporting the province�s Innovation Strategy. This funding will attract further investments in research at Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic, allowing them to build stronger research capacities.

"We are at a turning point in our history. We have an abundance of energy resources in an energy-hungry world and we need to be prepared to capture and build on these opportunities," said Minister Burke. "A critical element to building an innovative economy is our ability to build a relevant and responsive training system. New programs such as the Futures in Skilled Trades and Technology program for high school, and oil and gas programming at the post-secondary level, provide enhanced opportunities for strategic skills development. We cannot grow this industry without the people to support it and we are positioning College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University to be the nation�s premiere training institutes for oil and gas programming."

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Media contact:
Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca