NVIT is launching a Renewable Energies Technology Program in partnership with Fanshawe College, a leader in renewable technology studies based out of St. Thomas, Ontario.

NVIT and Fanshawe gave a joint presentation regarding the program on Feb. 19 in the NVIT lecture theater. In attendance were prospective students, faculty and City Councillors Mike Bhangu, Tony Luck and Kurt Christopherson.

In 2017 NVIT received funding through Western Economic Diversification in order to create an Indigenous Centre of Excellence in Sustainable and Green Energy, with the goal of encouraging and supporting First Nations participation in the emerging green tech economy. With this funding NVIT was able to build a green energy lab, where students would have the opportunity to study renewable energy technology.

NVIT staff began searching for a partner that already had an established, provincially accredited program that could be blended with NVIT’s curriculum. Of the 18 certificate and diploma programs nation-wide, Fanshawe’s was selected as the best option.

After signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the two post-secondary institutions will share an open exchange of academic materials, students and faculty, indigenous teachings and an exploration of new programs and research, including the Renewable Energy Technology (RET) Program.

Beginning in September, up to 16 students will enroll in the RET program and receive two years of training in the electrical, electronic and mechanical aspects of renewable energies such as solar, thermal, wind, biomass and geothermal technologies.

Ross Fair, one of the presenters from Fanshawe College, where he is Associate Dean, pointed out similarities between BC now and Ontario in the early 2000s, when their RET program was launched.

“There appears to be interest in the government, there appears to be interest among private industry, and certainly there is interest among the community to find ways in which we can generate electricity in a way that doesn’t harm the planet the way that the burning of fossil fuels does,” Fair said.

John Chenoweth, Associate Vice President of Academic & Community Education at NVIT, spoke with optimism about the new program. He anticipates that Fanshawe’s nearly 100% employment rate for graduates will carry over here, where indigenous communities are at the forefront of embracing renewable technologies.

“Our intent here is to have a situation where we have students in two years leave with skills that a lot of industries want,” Chenoweth said.