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Fanshawe celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated welding lab on Monday, June 27—one of the largest welding training facilities in Southwestern Ontario.
The original lab space was nearly 50 years old and with increasing demand on the facility, renovation and equipment refurbishment was needed. The total cost of the construction and equipment was $5 million, with more than $800,000 provided through the Province of Ontario’s Apprenticeship Capital Grant.
Thanks to the current renovation, Fanshawe was able to increase the available welding stations from 37 to 50, and introduce simulated welding stations, expanding the footprint of the lab into two rooms. There are also separate instructional areas to enable classes to run simultaneously.
“Fanshawe is committed to advancing education and apprenticeship in the skilled trades,” says Stephen Patterson, dean of the Faculty of Science, Trades and Technology. “Labs like these are designed for students to learn the necessary skills, techniques and safety processes they need to graduate ready to enter the workforce.”