September 27, 2012

Province, Operating Engineers union invest $700,000 in crane operator training in Newfoundland

The Newfoundland and Labrador department of Advanced Education and Skills announced it will invest more than $490,000 towards a tower crane operator training program at the Operating Engineers College in Holyrood, 45 kilometres west of St. John's, intended to train workers for offshore oil projects.

“A total investment of over $700,000 is being allocated for this program, provided through the Provincial Government, the Operating Engineers College and the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 904,” the province stated in a recent press release.

Touted by the province as a program that will help workers gain qualifications to work on ExxonMobil Canada Ltd.’s (NYSE:XOM) Hebron offshore oil project, the program will include three 12-week training sessions will be offered and the province anticipates the first one will begin next month.

Students will be able to use of a computerized simulator and a 16-tonne tower crane, the province stated.

“The Tower Crane Operator Training Program will assist individuals in acquiring the qualifications needed to work on the Hebron construction site or any other project within Newfoundland and Labrador.”

The Hebron project is operated by Exxon Mobil Corp.’s Canadian subsidiary, which owns 36 per cent of the venture. Chevron Canada Resources (NYSE:CVX) , Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU), Statoil Canada(NYSE:STO) and Nalcor Energy are the other partners, which have stakes of 26.7, 22.7, 9.7 and 4.9 per cent respectively.

According to its website, the Operating Engineers College trained 48 tower crane operators for the Hibernia project, of which ExxonMobil Canada owns a third and has been producing oil since 1997. IUOE Local 904 represents about 1,800 workers in the province.

DCN DIGITAL MEDIA

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