Students in Williams Lake got their hands on the wheel of some heavy duty equipment inside a simulator this week.
At the invitation of West Fraser’s operations supervisor Amanda Black, Ted Dillman with Vancouver Island University (VIU), brought one of the university’s two simulator trailers to the Cariboo.
Dillman, who is chair and instructor for Forest Industry Initiatives and Driving Training with VIU, said the construction simulator has a bulldozer, excavator and wheel loader.
“West Fraser and Amanda Black brought me to high schools in Williams Lake and 100 Mile House,” Dillman said as the first group of students took turns trying the equipment. “We bring the simulators to the schools so the students understand there are trades beyond school. They get an idea of what it’s like to run equipment and it gets them started in the field.”
Dillman said he will return in the spring of 2019 for School District 27’s Heavy Metal Rocks program.
Read more: Heavy Metal Rocks it for local students once again
“At that time we will get set up with our forestry equipment simulator. We have a button top log loader, a processor, a buncher, as well as a 140M grader.”
Simulator equipment has been developed in Sweden and all over the world, he added.
Black said she was inspired to invite Dillman because she thought using the simulator would be a good experience for the students.
“It is great experience for kids to get to see other opportunities and what they can do outside of school and how many options there are for work in town,” Black said.
“In forestry there are heavy equipment operators, there’s equipment at mills, and we want to let them know what’s out there.”
After they had an opportunity to try the equipment, the students said it was a good experience.
“It was amazing with learning how to run all the equipment,” said Grade 11 student Drew Woodford who is taking metal fabrication this term.
He’d never been in a simulator before, but lives on a ranch and has operated an excavator before.
Colin Johnston, also in Grade 11, said the machines were very well programmed.
“I could feel every little movement that I made in the simulator,” he said. “It was a little hard to get used to but it was really cool.”
Grade 12 student Jacob Pitre said it was fun.
“The simulators are pretty spot on. It’s pretty awesome.”
Pitre has also used an excavator often as he works with his dad’s construction company doing foundations, he said.
Kane Sande, also in Grade 12, said it was a fun and good experience.
“This was my first time using a simulator,” he said. “I’ve driven an excavator a couple of times with my mom. She used to teach how to run an excavator.”
Dave Corbett, School District 27 co-ordinator of Career Programs, said having the simulators at the school provided the students with an “amazing” opportunity.
Read more: Business owner advocates for more trades training in Williams Lake
“I am just so excited, one because our community thinks of our young people and how to give them these real life experiences and training for future careers. The partnership with West Fraser is amazing and so beneficial to us,” Corbett said.
He said the hope with the district’s career programs is to create visions, develop skills and give pathways for the students to move toward careers in their futures.
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