St. Lawrence College (SLC) received a donation of equipment valued at $150,000 to be used in several skilled trades programs to prepare students for careers in automated logistics and manufacturing. The donation was made by Witron, a worldwide leader in the design of warehouse and logistics systems. An announcement was made at its Cornwall operations site on Monday, October 3, 2022, and marks the first time that Witron has entered a partnership of this kind in Canada.
The equipment will support experiential learning in programs including Mechanical Technician, Industrial Mechanic Millwright, Industrial Electrician, and General Machinist on SLC’s Kingston campus. Also, SLC plans to launch a new Mechatronics program in fall 2023, whose students will also benefit from this state-of-the-art equipment. The specialized equipment includes turntables, chain conveyors, barcode scanners, sensors, reflectors, brackets, wiring, frequency controllers, control panels, safety components, and more.
“In today’s high tech and automated environment, technology changes quickly and our goal is to educate our students in the current work environment, and to be prepared for the future,” said Daniel Liao, Dean, Applied Science, Technology and Trades at SLC. “We are grateful for the donation of this equipment that helps us provide up-to-date materials and supplies to create the best learning environment for our students.”
“Witron is thrilled to contribute to these skilled trades programs at St. Lawrence College,” said Kenny Arruda, National Maintenance Leader for Canada. “SLC is a leader in hands-on training and education with both their skilled trades and technician/technology programs, both in the community and the province. We are proud to assist in the future education and training to ensure a highly skilled, employable workforce.”
Witron is a major employer of SLC grads, and actively recruits from the College’s Wind Turbine Technician, Electrical Engineering Technician, and Mechanical Technician programs. Last year, Witron hired 12 SLC graduates.
“On behalf of SLC, I want to thank Witron for this important gift of equipment and supplies for several of our skilled trades programs,” said Glenn Vollebregt, SLC President and CEO. “We also thank Witron for supporting our College and hiring our graduates and we look forward to fostering this continued partnership and working together to contribute to our vibrant workforce and community.”
