Portage College in partnership with Hanover Research has just released a study on the current student demand for academic programs associated with the pipeline industry. 
The study, which surveyed prospective and current students as well as industry experts, showed that Alberta institutions have not kept pace with the rising student demand for pipeline programming.

"We wanted to qualify our initial thoughts on the importance of building a Pipeline Training Centre with data from students and industry professionals," said Stuart Leitch, Director of Trades and Technologies at Portage College. "The study reveals considerable labour shortages for pipeline related engineering and technical occupations. A shortage that the Pipeline Training Centre would help alleviate."

Employers also revealed that companies prefer to hire candidates with a technical diploma and hands-on work experience, a major component of Portage College's proposed Centre.

"When we proposed the Pipeline Training Centre, we looked at these gaps in the industry knowing that our graduates would be able to step into a good job after graduation," Leitch said

 Portage College is continuing work with the Alberta Government and Hanover Research to complete a more detailed skills-gap analysis that will forecast labour shortages in the coming years.

To view the recent Environmental Scan on the Pipeline Industry please click here.