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Humber Trades Expansion Transforms Furniture Plant into State-of-the-Art Woodworking Lab
Source: Humber Polytechnic
As Ontario invests heavily in infrastructure projects like transit, highways, and housing, skilled tradespeople are more in-demand than ever. Humber Polytechnic is ready to meet that demand with its newly expanded Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology.
Providing Hands-on Training in a State-of-the-Art Facility
Funded through Ontario’s Apprenticeship Capital Grant, the expansion has added 16,000 square feet of classroom space to Humber’s dedicated trades training facility. It features new state-of-the-art learning labs where students can collaborate and gain hands-on experience using cutting-edge equipment.
One of the highlights is the 10,000-square-foot woodworking lab, converted from a former furniture manufacturing plant. Here, students can train in trades like furniture and cabinetmaking, as well as industrial woodworking.
This dust-controlled lab has dedicated areas for assembly and bench work, kitchen cabinet installation, cold spraying lacquer, and vacuum pressing. It’s also equipped with all common industrial woodworking machines, a hydraulic veneer press, three computer numerical control (CNC) routers, a CNC lathe, and a CNC dovetailer.
Some of the Centre’s other new learning spaces include:
- A heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning (HRAC) lab
- A gas and oil lab
- An augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR) simulation studio
- A heat plant
You can check out Humber’s Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology webpage for a video tour of the facility.
Adding More Training Opportunities for Skilled Trades
The expansion of Humber’s Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology has added 500 new training opportunities for apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and post-secondary students at the school.
“At Humber Polytechnic we’re committed to doing our part in addressing our country’s productivity crisis while helping students bridge their brilliant dreams with careers that are in high demand,” said Humber Polytechnic President and CEO Ann Marie Vaughan.
“Our mission is to equip graduates with the right skills and experience to build lifelong employability in a workforce that’s constantly evolving.
Humber Polytechnic offers a wide range of skilled trades programs and apprenticeships, including:
- Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician
- Plumbing Techniques
- Carpentry and Renovation Technician
- Construction Engineering Technology
- Industrial Woodworking Technician
- Welding Techniques
- Arboriculture Apprenticeship
- Construction Boilermaker Apprenticeship
- Industrial Electrician Apprenticeship
- Horticulture Techniques Apprenticeship
If you’re passionate about starting a career in the skilled trades, Humber Polytechnic’s expanded training facility offers the perfect environment to learn, grow, and succeed.
