OLAF NIELSEN
Olaf Nielsen is chair of Trades Development and Special Projects at Camosun College
Camosun College has a unique coastal focus – 85 per cent of Camosun students come from coastal communities, and 83 per cent of graduates continue to live and work on the Island and in coastal communities.
Because of this, and our island location, we see ourselves as the college of the coast. As islanders and residents of the coast, we have a special relationship with the ocean that surrounds and defines us.
We place high value on our sense of place and it elevates our pride as residents of coastal communities. It has always been this way on the coast where people have lived and prospered as a consequence of the natural wealth and wonder that surround us.
As a leading educator in this special coastal region, we find purpose and opportunity as we do our part to protect and enhance the coast and coastal life. We do this by preparing our students to contribute innovative solutions and entrepreneurial skills to build economic opportunity in healthy, sustainable communities on the coast today and long into the future.
Camosun’s new Coastal Skills Initiative is designed to identify emerging coastal issues, trends and opportunities and link them directly to a range of skilled trades programs at the college with an enhanced coastal perspective. We are making certain the trades we teach are relevant to the evolving needs of specific industries and communities on the coast.
A coastal skills element will be included in the experience of each skilled tradesperson we educate. These educational add-ons equip Camosun graduates with particular skills for work on the coast.
Examples include marine electrical certification, specialized skills for fabrication work done by welders, sheet metal workers and pipefitters in shipbuilding, construction workers building or maintaining marine infrastructure in remote coastal communities or the training of ship’s crews and officers for ferries, fishing, tugs and escort and response vessels.
We also see a significant role of our award-winning applied research capabilities to be fully involved with both industry and coastal communities. This is all part of the college of the coast serving the communities of the coast.