Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

By Tanner Smith

Northwestern Polytechnic

NWP debuts new CDN Electrical Education Centre

Nov 12, 2025 | 4:49 PM

NWP had a naming rights announcement and showcased its newest facility on Wednesday, Nov. 12; the CDN Electrical Education Centre, a Hoffmann Family of Companies Community Commitment.

Created through an eight-year partnership between the Polytechnic and CDN, this space will serve a variety of electrician students.

“So we’ll have apprenticeship students there. We will have some high school dual credit students, and an opportunity for potentially industry to come use these spaces as well,” said NWP President and CEO, Dr. Vanessa Sheane.

The centre is already benefiting NWP’s current Electrician, Millwright, and Instrumentation programs.

Made up of three different classrooms, containing “modern labs, fully functional electrical systems, simulation tools, and collaborative workspaces,” this new centre gives the Polytechnic options to offer both residential and commercial-focused electrician courses, with room to expand.

L: NWP CEO & Pres. Dr. Vanessa Sheane R: CDN Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder Nick Stewart

Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

With this facility now available and an almost decade-long partnership in place, there is a hope that it will lead to more residents taking up an electrician trade, including those who haven’t even considered a career yet, according to CDN Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder Nick Stewart.

“From our perspective, having kids get engaged early to get into the trades, when trades are the backbone of Alberta, to get the exposure early, to be in a world-class facility, we feel that it’ll just be such an attraction tool for our business, and for the community.”

“21 years ago, I took my apprenticeship here (then GPRC), and we started CDN in 2011. So this is a real commitment for us, giving back to the community and seeing it go full circle.”

Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

CDN Team (CC: EGP Staff)

Dr. Vanessa Sheane added that NWP is “really striving to be responsive and innovative, and so partnerships like what we have with CDN actually help build confidence.”

“So the region and industry have confidence in NWP that we’re offering programs that are in demand and needed, and then it flips and builds confidence for the students too, so the students know that we’re offering programs that are needed in the region, have a career pathway and then it’s building their confidence in coming to NWP.”

As part of the centre’s location at NWP, it gives the electrical students the “hands-on learning experiences” they would need in the field, including working alongside other trades, such as power engineering, which has a newly renovated lab down the hall.

This new education centre is only the most recent in multiple industry-related courses and amenities announced by NWP; as an engineering education centre was debuted in September, an EMR certificate back in January, and a Bachelor of Education – Secondary degree program in October.

Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

Photo Courtesy EGP Staff

Anyone wanting more information about this new space, NWP’s partnership with CDN, or enrollment can visit its website.