Students of the Saw Filer Apprenticeship Program at Thompson Rivers University Williams Lake Campus were given a donation.
Canadian Forest Products ltd and HMT Machines Tools Canada teamed up to present them Monday afternoon with a Vollmer top and face grinder.
“The development and training of our future workforce is of great importance to Canfor. Through this equipment donation and partnership with HMT to refurbish the equipment, Canfor is proud to support the sustainment of the saw filer program at Thompson Rivers University, which has and will continue to benefit Canfor and our industry,” said Travis Emel, Operation Training Lead at Canfor.
The grinder will give the students one more piece of equipment to train on as they acquire real-world experience toward a world-class education that meets industry standards.
“We at HMT Machine Tools Canada are very pleased to contribute to the success of this program and its
students through our donation of a fully rebuilt piece of equipment. At HMT Machine Tools Canada we know that the right equipment is an essential tool for an efficient and effective industry,’ said Eric Gabara, HMT Machine Tools Canada.
Since 2013 the program has graduated 219 apprentices giving them the knowledge and skills to become both a provincially and inter-provincially certified tradesperson.
TRU Williams Lake is the only place in BC and all over Canada that has a Saw Filer Program.
“The saw filer apprenticeship program is a small but critical program for the industry, and industry support is critical to delivering a quality program. Apprentices will always benefit from relevant training on current industry tools,
equipment, and machinery,” Said Baldev Pooni, TRU’s dean of School of Trades and Technology.