Students at Three Oaks Senior High, Kensington Intermediate Senior High and Kinkora Regional High will benefit from a new multi-million dollar Career and Technical Education Centre, says Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Doug Currie.
”Career and Technical Education programs provide real-life skills that help students transition from high school to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workforce,” said Minister Currie. “Government is committed to investing in student achievement and safe facilities. We are pleased to see construction underway on a new state of the art facility that will help students learn and prepare for successful careers.”
The Western School Board identified a new Career and Technical Education Centre as a priority in 2009 and the project was included in the 2010-2011 capital budget. The cost of the project is estimated at $4,675,000.
The new 25,000 square foot facility will be located next to Three Oaks High School on MacEwen Road in Summerside. It will offer classes once held at the Summerside Industrial Park and Slemon Park. When the new centre is complete, courses will be offered under one roof in a campus-like environment.
The facility will include spaces for aerospace training, automotive and carpentry shops, a new robotics lab, skilled-trades classrooms, as well as storage and alternative education spaces.
“This modern facility will create much needed space for career and technical education programming for as many as 500 high school students in the Summerside and surrounding area,” said Jane McMillan, Western School Board superintendent. “It will encourage more students to gain sector-specific and transferrable knowledge and skills, and to make informed decisions about future careers while learning in a safe and authentic working environment.”
Construction is expected to take ten months. Students will be in the new Career and Technical Education Centre for the 2012 school year.