Sandvik Coromant, NAIT celebrate continued partnership

May 28, 2018 – Sandvik Coromant and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) recently extended their contract until 2022. The partnership renewal ceremony took place April 19 at the NAIT Sandvik Coromant Centre for Machinist Technology in Edmonton.

Congregating for the renewal announcement, Sandvik Coromant and NAIT celebrated their decade-long partnership with a new contract extension that will be in effect until December 31, 2022.

“I want to thank Sandvik Coromant for their incredible support of our Machinist program – they are both a friend and partner of NAIT. Through their gift, they are ensuring our students are learning on the very latest equipment and they have the support needed to pursue their education by establishing scholarships,” Dr. Glenn Feltham, president and CEO of NAIT, said.

The three-part gift to the polytechnic from Sandvik Coromant includes a gift-in-kind for equipment, funds to support capital and operating needs for the NAIT Machinist Program and a scholarship program. A total of 12 scholarships are available to students each year for the five-year period. Eleven awards per year are available to first through fourth year students awarded based on academic achievement. The 12th award is the Sandvik Coromant Leadership award which is granted to the top student who demonstrates initiative, creativity, leadership with their fellow students and enthusiasm in conjunction with academic achievement.

A facility used for all Machinist programs for hands-on training, machine time and course-work, the NAIT Sandvik Coromant Centre for Machinist Technology features four CNC machinist labs, a metrology lab and a centralized tool crib, as well as smart classrooms, computer labs and office for instructors and support staff.

“The instructors at NAIT are highly qualified and do a great job preparing students for careers in manufacturing. NAIT’s modern facilities show students the high-tech and contemporary side of machining that they may not associate with manufacturing,” said Sandvik Coromant Canada Country Manager Randy Bossie. “We see first-hand the benefit of the training the students receive at NAIT as one of our Technical Sales Engineers out of Edmonton, Mike Oostenbrink, is a graduate of NAIT’s Machinist Apprentice program with a Red Seal Journeyman Certification. Mike’s education makes him an invaluable employee and a vital technical resource for our customers.”