College of the Rockies welcomed four guests from the Industrial Training Institute (Instituto de Aprendizaje Industrial) in Oruro, Bolivia from July 1 to 7.

The Institute’s president and three technical trades instructors took part in professional development activities at the college during their stay.

In addition to training workshops at the college, the visitors also participated in industry visits to the JH Hushcroft sawmill in Creston, Columbia Brewery’s state-of-the art bottling and canning facility in Creston, Canfor’s Elko sawmill and Teck’s Elkview coal mine in Sparwood.

Through Colleges and Institutes Canada’s (CICan) Education for Employment Program, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, College of the Rockies has seen staff, faculty and a facilitator embark on three trips to Bolivia since September 2014.

Through the terms of a three-year partnership agreement with the Industrial Training Institute, the college aims to prepare Institute instructors to deliver excellent competency-based training, to design and deliver appropriate curriculum, and to improve industry engagement and student services.

College of the Rockies’ International Projects and Marketing Specialist Ian Murdoch says, “So far, our team has facilitated the creation of a professional advisory committee consisting of local industry representatives in Oruro as well as a curriculum development plan and performance objectives for a new industrial mechanic program.  We have also delivered training in instructional design, student tracking and curriculum mapping. The goal of this program is to create a national model in Bolivia for technical training in hydraulics and pneumatics.”

The college’s project team will return to Bolivia in the fall with their partner Niagara College to complete the curriculum development process for the new industrial mechanic program.

Lead image: College of the Rockies staff were honoured to lead their Bolivian guests on an industry tour through the region. (l-r) Javier Francisco Garcia Benito (Automotive Instructor IAI), Brian Conrad (College of the Rockies’ Regional Transitions Coordinator), Rodolfo Espinoza Bilbao la Vieja (Electrical Instructor, IAI), Jorge Rodas Mercado (Executive Director, IAI), Rick Czar (College of the Rockies’ Industrial Mechanic instructor), and Jhonny Max Mendoza Rodriquez (Industrial Mechanic instructor, IAI).

COTR

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