The Grey Bruce Regional Economic Development Partnership is exploring the possibility of creating a Satellite Training Centre for the wood manufacturing sector.
The regional think tank has put out a request for proposal to conduct a Needs/Opportunity study on such a venture.
Director Bob White says this is being done in conjunction with Bruce and Grey Counties as well as group from the local wood manufacturing sector.
He says even though this region’s wood manufacturing sector has been hit hard over the last few years, he believes there is a lot of merit in such a study.
Despite factory closures, White says the South Grey Bruce area represents one of the last large concentrations of woodworking excellence in Ontario.
He believes the proposed Training Centre could provide the tools needed to make this regions wood manufacturing sector more competitive with the global market through the use of innovation and advanced technology.
White says the proposed Satellite Training Centre would also provide youth with an opportunity to gain valuable employment skills right here at home without having to leave the region in search of work.
The Request for Proposal project would investigate the potential to create an Area Centre of Excellence in Woodworking that would:
– provide continuing education opportunities,
– weekend and short term courses
– trade, promotion and training events
– process innovation
– research innovation
He says such a centre could help Ontario businesses conduct research to develop new products and processes in the hardwood processing sector.
White adds that this area has the natural resources, the sawmills, the factories and the labor force to make this proposed venture a real success.
