May 31, 2006 - 5:00pm
Malaspina University-College Inboard/Outboard Marine and Outdoor Power Equipment Technician grads will be making money one month earlier with a change recently made to the program.
Starting this September the ten month Nanaimo based-program will take nine months to complete which is good for both the industry and the students said instructor Chris Murphy.
"I had four phone calls last week looking for mechanics," said Murphy, who is also a graduate of the Malaspina program.
"This year almost all of the students will be employed right away."
Inboard/Outboard Marine and Outdoor Power Equipment Technician program student Jeff Bauman said a healthy industry is good news for him. He was attracted to the program last year because it is an opportunity to take two things he loves – boating and fishing – and turn it into a career.
"I always knew how to run boat motors but now I know how to fix them too," said Bauman. "I came in not knowing anything about mechanics and now I know quite a bit."
He is one of 16 students set to graduate June 23 and is confident he’ll have no problem getting a job in the industry.
Besides a shorter school year, the technician program will include a course on business procedures. The course will cover everything from shop operations to customer service and part ordering to paperwork.
By operating like a business, students get at real world experience in Murphy’s shop.
"Ninety per cent of the work they do will be in community shop repairs," said Murphy, adding grads have also found work at fishing lodges, golf clubs, fish farms, logging camps and dealerships.
"The students take care of customers from the time they get here to the time they leave," said Murphy.
Craig Hilts owns and operates Ocean Marine Repairs in Nanaimo. He gets lots of resumes but most of those people aren’t certified to do the job, making it difficult to get skilled staff.
"It’s terrible finding good staff. It’s really tough," he said.
The next intake of students for the Inboard/Outboard Marine and Outdoor Power Equipment Technician program starts in September. Applications are being taken now.
For more information go to http://www.viu.ca/calendar/TradesAppliedTech/marinetech.asp or call Chris Murphy at 740-6197.
Tags: In the Community
