Apprenticeship and Industry Training has issued significant curriculum changes to the Welding Apprenticeship Program. To redesign our own curriculum, Portage College has made a decision to cancel the 16-week September Pre-Employment Welding session.

"It is unfortunate to cancel an offering of any program," said Mardere Birkill, Vice President Academic. "We made a business decision to cancel this offering of the Pre-Employment Welding program to make sure our instructors had sufficient time to undertake the curriculum changes impacting Period 1, 2 and 3 of our Welding program."

The new curriculum will necessitate changes in the entrance requirements. The program will have an increase in theory particularly in metallurgy.

"The mandatory changes in curriculum are significant," said Stuart Leitch, Director of Trades and Technologies at Portage College. "It not only affects Period 1, it also changes the assessments in Periods 2 and 3."

The changes in curriculum are affecting all Alberta institutions as the province moves to introduce a new career path for students.

"After completing Period 1 you will now have the choice of taking Period 2 and 3 to get your Journeyman and Red Seal, or you can exit at Period 1 and work in a fabrication shop for two years and get your Journeyman Wire Process Operator certification," Leitch said.