NII Energy Co-op students showcase skilled trades journeys in the energy sector

Hands-on learning and career skills as the next generation prepares to build what’s ahead

“Electrician.” “Carpenter, for sure.” “I want to be a millwright.” At the showcase event for the NII Energy Co-op this past Friday, high school students spoke about their learnings and plans for the future.

And this group is dreaming big.

Twenty-two students from Kincardine District Senior School (KDSS) and Saugeen District Senior School (SDSS) began their clean energy journeys at the NII Advance Technology Campus this January, experiencing nearly 30 different careers across the clean energy industry.

Different than a normal co-op, where one student is placed with one employer, the NII Energy Co-op is a specialized 17-week program in partnership with the Bluewater District School Board, exposing students to construction, welding, emergency management, engineering, pipefitting and more.

Describes Hamna, a grade 11 student at SDSS, “During the Co-op, we all got challenged to try new things—I remember looking up at the six-foot scaffolding and wondering how I was supposed to do that. But with encouragement from my instructor, I pushed through.”

“With major clean energy projects underway in our region and across Canada, creative ways to support workforce planning and skill development are critical,” said NII President & CEO Jessica Linthorne. “The Nuclear Innovation Institute is proud to help shape the next generation of workers who will build big things.”

But none of this would be possible without collaboration, she adds: “We’re incredibly thankful to everyone who brought their time, talent and energy to the Co-op—from partners across the nuclear sector, dedicated teachers, and NII’s Founding Members.”

Learn more about skill development and education work at the Nuclear Innovation Institute: nii.ca.