$3-million boost for MRU aviation programs from federal government
Mount Royal University will expand its aviation programs with $3 million from the federal government to boost the growing sector in Alberta. The federal government has provided $3 million to support the expansion of Mount Royal University's pilot training facility at the university's Springbank campus. The facility will include a new hangar and learning facility, equipped with virtual reality technology and flight simulators, to train a new generation of pilots and aircrew. The university's bachelor’s program will build on its diploma curriculum, which has been offered by the university for over 50 years. The federal government estimates the investment will create over 70 jobs, train 140 students, and equip 10 small- and medium-sized businesses with trained professionals. This follows another $4 million invested by two of Calgary's post-secondary institutions in June.
发表 : 2年前 经过 Hiren Mansukhani 在 Politics
The financial assistance will bring about a new hangar and learning facility at the university’s Springbank campus, complete with virtual reality technology and flight simulators needed to train a new generation of pilots and aircrew. The bachelor’s program will build on MRU’s diploma curriculum, which the university has been offering for more than 50 years, by adding different elements, including operations, administration and financial management. The options will give students interested in the aviation industry a range of pursuits, said Chad London, MRU Provost and vice-president, academic.
London added the plan to build a new bachelor’s program has been in the works for several years after the university found support from industry players. “We were hearing from industry that they would love to see graduates with additional education at that back baccalaureate level,” London said. Over the past several years, the university has been crafting the program, after which they approached the federal government with a funding proposal. “The $3 million of funding from PrairiesCan is critical in helping us achieve our vision of becoming an aviation education center of excellence,” London said. The federal government also estimates the investment is expected to create more than 70 jobs, train 140 students, and equip 10 small- and medium-sized businesses with trained professionals.
“Our government’s investment towards expanding Mount Royal University’s pilot training facility will help prepare a new generation of aviation professionals to drive the continued growth of Alberta’s aviation industry and the high-quality jobs that it creates for people and communities across the province,” said Minister for PrairiesCan Dan Vandal, who couldn’t make it to the event, in a statement. The news follows a similar announcement in June by the ministry, which invested $4 million in aerospace programs offered by two of Calgary’s post-secondary institutions. Out of the funding, $2.5 million was given to U of C to open an Aerospace Innovation Hub, which will support startups and existing small- and medium-sized aerospace businesses.
Another $1.4 million was provided to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for its new remotely piloted aviation training centre, which will train and certify students to operate and maintain heavy-lift drones. The new funds have added to growing optimism in Calgary’s aerospace industry following several announcements by larger companies, such as WestJet, which made Calgary its home base and global connecting hub last October, and de Havilland, which last September announced a sprawling campus to be built east of the city. The announcements are meant for the province’s smaller aerospace businesses, which officials have noted are important innovators in the sector.
话题: Aviation