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Heavy Metal Rocks comes to Kelowna
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Richmond, B.C., September 26, 2008 — Twenty-eight School District No. 23 high school students are working on heavy machinery today as part of the Heavy Metal Rocks program, which is designed to provide real life experience for them as they consider career options before returning to class next week.
Heavy Metal Rocks is a job experience program being held at the Emil Anderson Construction Pit on Westside. The students first operate a simulator funded by the Operating Engineers, Local 115, and then move to road building and construction equipment under the mentorship and direction of an experienced operator. The program is modeled on a Prince George initiative that included both construction and mining.
“This community project provides our students with real work experience which supports their transition from school to work and will be an incredible experience,” said Kelly McRae, career programs facilitator with School District No. 23. “Our local heavy duty machinery companies, their support service providers, and WorkSafeBC have come together to ensure that the students are introduced positively and safely to construction and road building careers.”
Prior to working in the Pit, students and their parents participated in a complete overview of the project and the young workers completed first aid training, an introduction to hazardous materials and worksite safety training.
“We need to encourage young men and women to see working with heavy duty machinery in road building and construction as a real career option,” said Mike Jacobs, President of Emil Anderson Construction. “I’m proud of the way the local companies have come together to have the equipment and operators that we needed to give the best opportunity we could to these students.”
More than forty companies have donated equipment, services and the expertise to conduct the needed instruction, supervision, and demonstrations.
“Wherever in the province these programs have been held they have been a community and industry success,” said Shawn Mitton, WorkSafeBC’s regional prevention manager. “The practical experience on the equipment combined with the safety training and understanding of hazards gives the students a good foundation from which to make a career choice.”
WorkSafeBC is an independent provincial statutory agency governed by a Board of Directors that serves nearly 2.3 million workers and about 197,000 employers. WorkSafeBC was born out of a compromise between B.C.'s workers and employers in 1917 where workers gave up the right to sue their employers and fellow workers for injuries on the job in return for a no-fault insurance program fully paid for by employers. The organization is committed to safe and healthy workplaces and to providing return-to-work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits to workers injured as a result of their employment.
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For more information, contact: |
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| Gladys Johnsen |
Lisa Harrison Communications Officer School District No. 23 250 860-8888 |
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