Three schools within the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) - Stratford District Secondary School, St Marys District Collegiate Vocational Institute, and Central Huron Secondary School have received $280,000 in funding for new high-tech equipment for their manufacturing programs.
The funding comes through a partnership with the Canadian Tooling & Machining Association (CTMA) and the Ontario Council for Technology Education (OCTE) as part of the Career-Ready with CTMA: Expanding Opportunities program.
“Our goal is to expose high school students to technology at an earlier age to engage their interest for a career within our industry,” said Robert Cattle, CTMA executive director, in a media release. “Not only does this expose students to newer technology at an earlier age, but it also gives teachers up-to-date equipment to implement in their classrooms.”
“We are so appreciative of the significant investment made by the CTMA and OCTE into our schools. Students and staff will benefit from teaching and learning on industry-standard equipment, and our communities will benefit as we continue to support students in Huron and Perth counties to develop skills and proficiency in trades and apprenticeship pathways,” said Jane Morris, the board's superintendent of education.
The schools started receiving the new equipment in November, which ranged from CNC milling centres, lathes, and plasma cutters, to CNC desktop milling machines and high precision conventional milling machines. Additionally, each school will receive tool kits and cutting tools.
The Career-Ready with CTMA: Expanding Opportunities program is partially funded by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
