Students training to become wind energy technicians at Northern Lights College's Dawson Creek campus will be able to get hands-on training with a new wind tower.
The federal government this week announced a $225,000 Western Economic Diversification grant to help the college build a wind tower at the Dawson Creek campus. It will be used to give students practical hands-on experience doing wind turbine maintenance.
"British Columbia, and in particular northeastern British Columbia, has seen exciting growth in the wind energy sector over the past few years," said Laurie Rancourt, president and CEO of Northern Lights College.
"As B.C.'s energy college, Northern Lights College is proud to deliver the province's only BZEE certified wind turbine maintenance program."
The college's 40-week program trains students to become certified wind turbine technicians.
There are currently three large-scale wind farms in operation in northern B.C., a fourth being built at Cape Scott on Vancouver Island, and half a dozen other proposed wind farms.
On average, a wind farm requires one technician for every three to five turbines. The Bear Wind Mountain Farm has about 30 wind turbines; the Doki Ridge Wind Farm near Chetwynd has more than 40.
According to the college, there is a growing demand for wind turbine technicians in B.C., the U.S. and Europe.
