June 13, 2023 (Sidney, BC) – Quadrant Marine Institute’s Liz Nienaber is helping to generate awareness for the July launch of the organizations pre-employment program (PEP) for aspiring Marine Service Technicians (MST), taking place in Vancouver.
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After 27 years in the marine service industry, Nienaber jumped at the opportunity to join Quadrant as the organization’s Training Coordinator and Community Partnerships Facilitator. Nienaber is a graduate of Quadrant’s four-year MST apprenticeship program and holds a Certificate of Qualification as a journeyperson, issued by Skilled Trades BC. The CofQ is the industry standard for Marine Service Technicians.
“I decided to take the program and I’m so glad I did,” said Nienaber. “It really filled in a lot of the blanks that I had and things that I didn’t necessarily know that I didn’t know. Not only that, but the community I met through the program, they’re some of my closest friends and we now have a group chat where we bounce ideas off of each other. For networking, it’s amazing…I wouldn’t have that if I hadn’t taken the program.”
Since September, Nienaber and the Quadrant team have been touring BC’s Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island to promote their revamped PEP, designed to provide students with information about the career opportunities available in the marine service industry. Participants complete the program with a foundational set of skills and the knowledge required to successfully set sail in their employment.
Quadrant’s pre-employment course covers a broad set of topics that include life skills (scheduling, professionalism, resume building, interviewing), introductions to boat terminology, plumbing and electrical, as well as paint and coatings, maintenance and tools. The participants will have the opportunity to job shadow with various employers and then complete a two-week work experience.
MST’s build, refit, maintain, survey and repair vessels up to 150 feet in length and work in marinas, boatyards, service centres and specialty businesses serving the small craft/recreational marine industry.
“A career as a Marine Service Technician is very broad, there’s lots of different things that you can do,” said Nienaber. “It’s such a diverse industry and the nice part about it is that once you’ve learned the basics, it’s very easy to move laterally into different areas [in a trade or support position in the marine industry].”
Administered by the Construction Foundation of BC, supporters of the marine industry are encouraged to donate to the Marine Service Excellence Fund to raise funds that support future skilled workers for the Small Craft/Recreational Marine Industry. More information is available by visiting marinefund.ca.
For more information on the work being done by the Construction Foundation of BC, please visit www.constructionfoundation.ca.
About Quadrant Marine Institute
Since 1996, Quadrant has been dedicated to training marine service professionals in the small craft/recreational marine service industry. We are constantly creating new programs to support people for a long and rewarding career.
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