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Equipment operators celebrate grad
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Kapawe’no Chief Frank Halcrow praised the graduates for completing the 12-week training program and High Velocity Equipment Training for providing it.
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Pictured above are the 11 graduates and two instructors. In the back row, left-right, are Nathaly Larocque, Darwin Halcrow, Darcy Halcrow, Terrance Willier, Shooter Bellerose, Brandon Halcrow, Kevin Willier, Brian Halcrow and instructor Glenn Wilson. Sitting, left-right, are instructor Peter Giroux, Jarrod Chalifoux, Lorraine Chalifoux and Eric Halcrow.
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Mac Olsen
for South Peace News
Eleven new heavy equipment operators are ready to enter the labour force.
A graduation ceremony was held for them at the Kapawe’no Cree Nation administration office in Grouard Nov. 6.
Those who completed the 12-week program offered by High Velocity Equipment Training are Shooter Bellerose, Jarrod Chalifoux, Lorraine Chalifoux, Brian Halcrow, Brandon Halcrow, Darcy Halcrow, Darwin Halcrow, Eric Halcrow, Nathaly Larocque, Kevin Willier and Terrance Willier.
“When I started the program, I was scared. I was the only girl,” says Lorraine Chalifoux. “But to my classmates, it’s been great to work with you.”
Chalifoux took pictures of the group while they were training on the heavy equipment and showed them as part of a multimedia presentation later.
Others offered accolades to the graduates, including Chief Frank Halcrow, who praised them for their determination to complete the program.
“You’ve shown your determination to come through,” he says. “The students and instructors did a great job.”
Glenn Wilson, an instructor, also praised the graduates for their dedication and thanked the KCN band council for supporting the training program. He also presented the certificates to the graduates.
The 12-week program will lead to a career change for Terrance Willier, a Sucker Creek First Nation resident. Willier found the program to have a steep learning curve initially, but it became easier as he went along.
“I was surprised about how easy it was to move the soil around,” he says.
Willier and the others constructed a road near Kapawe’no land east of Hilliard’s Bay Provincial Park for their construction project. He operated a bulldozer for his part of the work.
Willier thanks KCN for the opportunity to take the training program. He intends to make the bulldozer and excavator his equipment of choice for work and would like to start his own construction company eventually.
High Velocity Equipment Training held a similar training program in Driftpile First Nation in the summer of 2009 and a graduation ceremony was held at the St. Rose of Luna Church Sept. 4.
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