Lab at NWP. Photo courtesy Everything GP Staff

By Erika Rolling

Post-Secondary Education

$11.3 million power engineering lab to be built in NWP

Jan 29, 2024 | 1:25 PM

The Northwestern Polytechnic campus in Grande Prairie will be seeing renovations inside its main building starting in April.

The province is funding to accommodate a new state-of-the-art lab to be used by 3rd and 4th class power engineering programs, with a price tag of $11.3 million.

Demand for skilled tradespeople in these sectors has increased recently with two new hydrogen and ammonia processing plants in the Greenview Industrial Gateway and the County of Grande Prairie.

Minister of Advanced Education Rajan Sawhney says the new facility will allow NWP to welcome more students to the high-demand program.

“This investment will result in about 60 additional spaces that will be created and certainly we are hoping that it will illicit more interest from students and parents, and community members across the province once they find out this program is going to be fully funded and a new lab in place.”

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Sawhney says not only will the investment benefit those wanting to become power engineers, but also instrumentation technicians with the new lab.

President of NWP Dr. Vanessa Sheane says adding 3rd and 4th period instrumentation offerings will alleviate the need for students to leave northern Alberta to finish their education.

“It also allows us to add an instrumentation/engineering tech program, which means for students who don’t want to go the traditional route, they can take this technology program and finish that way as well.”

“This other diploma route allows them (students) if they can’t get hired as an apprentice to still end up with the same place at the end. It’s another way to get their credentials and qualifications.”

Sheane notes an industry partnership for the instrumentation program for 2nd period is staying with the expansion.

When the lab opens, which is expected sometime in 2026, Sheane says there will be a need for a few more instructors for the two programs.

She also notes the programs will roll out in a phased approach.