LCI programs to benefit from trailer donation

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on May 10, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Southland Trailers has partnered up with Lethbridge Collegiate Institute to donate a flat deck trailer to the school, to help multiple hands-on programs with their transportation needs.
“We do a lot of work with the schools and trying to keep that partnership up is something that’s extremely important to us,” said Madyson Kuipers, HR manager at Southland Trailers.
She said this donation was just a piece of the puzzle, as they want to have Southland’s name out there, build that relationship with students and get them introduced to the trades from day one as a career path.
Vice-Principal at LCI, Gordon Vatcher said this donation benefits their woodworking, autobody and automotive program and even their band program as they can use it as a float.
He said LCI needed an upgrade from a 20-year-old Southland Trailer, so they reached out to them for an upgrade and LCI is excited about all the areas that will benefit from it.
“With automotive we’re always trying to get cars in and out of the facility. We get donations of cars and sometimes some of our cars they’re not working when they show up, so it will help us to move them, get them out and bring them in,” said Vatcher.
He added that sometimes they need to take things to the wreckers and similar places and as for woodworking, it will help them with picking up lumber.
This partnership also highlights the involvement of Southland Trailers in the partnership among LCI and the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), Off-Campus Education and Career and Technology Studies (CTS) programming at LCI.
“We have tons of students that love the hands-on experience and Southland always open their facility to let us come over and have tours and get to see what’s actually happening here on the north side of Lethbridge,” said Vatcher.
He said the trailer will not only benefit students in LCI but also students from other Lethbridge School Division schools, as LCI hosts many of them for RAP and off-campus education.
“We really just want to emphasize that students can work here and go to school at the same time, and that way they are starting off their careers one step ahead of everybody else,” said Kuipers.  
RAP coordinator with the Lethbridge School Division Off-Campus Education team Carey Rowntree said they find partnerships in the trades for students that are still in high school to get them engaged with companies to gain hands-on experience.
“They start their apprenticeships early, they get credits towards high school, they’ve got a paying job and they get a jump start on their apprenticeship instead of the traditional route,” said Rowntree.
He said it is not uncommon for students to have finished their first year of apprenticeship by the time they finish high school.
“A company like Southland is good, they have a lot of welders there and they are a growing company. We work very closely with them with student tours, getting job shadows, introducing them to students that may be looking towards getting into the trades,” said Rowntree.
He said it is a great start with a company like this, because students would be hands-on working and if they have the capacity, they will bring them into start apprenticeship work, often in the welding program.

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