News
Centennial College to offer geoexchange training

Montreal, QC — The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Centennial College in Ontario. The College’s Energy Systems Engineering Technology post Secondary program already ties into CGC’s strategy to develop industry infrastructure through improved training. Centennial College is currently incorporating CGC’s GeoExchange Installation and Residential & Commercial Design courses into this curriculum, and they will be recognized by CGC as fully industry-equivalent training under the industry’s national quality assurance program.
 
“Centennial’s School of Engineering Technology and Applied Science (SETAS) is working with certification associations towards industry accreditation of all of its programs, and we are very pleased to be collaborating with the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC) in setting the standards for geothermal skills and training in Ontario” said Dean Jag Mohan of SETAS. He also indicated that “Specialist certification from an industry recognized association in a major program adds value both to the program and to the students. Centennial will embed the CGC’s course materials into its Energy related programs so that students will obtain both Centennial credential and national certificate via CGC. As well, CGC and SETAS’ Centennial Energy Institute will offer workshops for those with diplomas and degrees as a means of upgrading skills. SETAS recognizes the importance of geoexchange systems in lowering the cost of heating and cooling buildings but most significantly, in substantially reducing green house gasses.”
 
“We have an emerging and very promising relationship with Centennial College. We recognize the willingness of the College to engage into a long term partnership which could lead to other significant training development within the province” said Denis Tanguay, CGC President & CEO. “Officials from Centennial College have been very forthcoming with many interesting ideas and we look forward working with them to build bridges with other groups within the province of Ontario.”
 
CGC presently has active memorandum of understanding with eleven Canadian colleges and is currently working with over fifteen colleges who are eager to integrate geoexchange into their curriculum. Once colleges/institutes have adopted and incorporated CGC training standards into their curriculum, CGC fully recognizes the students trained by those institutions as industry-equivalent. 
 
The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition acts as the industry catalyst to unite private and public sector stakeholders and to expand the market for geoexchange technology in Canada. As the nexus of information, training, certification, industry standards and public awareness, the Coalition's mandate is to work with stakeholders to build the necessary infrastructure to foster the growth of the Canadian geoexchange industry. For more information, visit www.geo-exchange.ca.

September 17, 2009  By Newswire