Yukon College opens new mining education building

Yukon College is beginning a new school year with a brand new$8.3 millionfacility on its Whitehorse campus the Centre for Northern Innovation in Mining (CNIM) building.

The new building has two sections. One hasclassrooms and another is anairplanehangar-sized workshop floor.

Thebuilding was officially opened with a ceremonial ribbon cutting onThursday.

"This is so exciting," said YukonMP Larry Bagnellat the opening. The CNIM receives core funding from both the federal and territorial governments.

The mining school was first announced in 2013 by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the program's first batch of studentsgraduated last year.

Bagnellreflected on a time when he used to workin Watson Lakeand he'd see people arrive from elsewhereto mine in Yukon.

"It was very frustrating to see all the employees fly in,right into the mine from down south, then fly out.And meanwhile there were Yukoners without jobs," he said.

The CNIMis meant to help build a local skilled workforce, said Premier Darrell Pasloski.

"As mineral prices improve and mining companies increase production, employment opportunities will increase in the mining industry and sectors that serve the mining industry," he said

"The training and skill development that happens here will help ensure that the next wave of skilled miners are Yukoners."

The CNIM is based in Whitehorse but also works with a mobile 'tradestraining trailer' which can be trucked toroad-accessible communities.

The first programs taught in the building will be carpentry and electrical. Students' first big project will be to build a storage unit for the mining school.