Just eight weeks after dealing its Fairview campus a death knell, Northwestern Polytechnic (NWP) announced a multi-million dollar investment to develop a trades campus in Grande Prairie. Read MoreNWP is already in the planning and design phase for the new facility and expect to accept apprentices for the 2026 fall term.
NWP is already in the planning and design phase for the new facility and expect to accept apprentices for the 2026 fall term.
Just eight weeks after dealing its Fairview campus a death knell, Northwestern Polytechnic (NWP) announced a multi-million dollar investment to develop a trades campus in Grande Prairie.
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The former Hansen Ford building, a 30,000 square foot facility on 112 Street and 100 Ave., will soon be the Skilled Trades Training Centre.
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NWP’s president and chief executive officer, Dr. Vanessa Sheane, said it marks a milestone in their commitment to skilled trades, industry partnerships and economic development.
“By centralizing our programming and establishing a dedicated Skilled Trades Centre in the heart of industry, we become more accessible to students and strengthen the productive partnerships that will give our region a competitive advantage.”
The Grande Prairie Construction Association vice president, Justin Staffen lauded the decision saying the demand for skilled tradespersons outpaces supply.
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“This investment by Northwestern Polytechnic directly addresses that gap by expanding access to high-quality, hands-on training and producing job-ready graduates our industry urgently needs. Purpose-built training environments that support collaboration and cross-training between trades are essential to building a resilient workforce now and into the future.”
NWP has also partnered with industry in growing its trades programs to answer the needs in construction, fabrication, transportation and energy industries. “This past fall, the Polytechnic opened two new state-of-the-art training facilities: the Spartan Controls Northwestern Centre for Industrial Automation & Innovation and the CDN Electrical Education Centre. These industry-replicated learning environments were designed to better equip students with practical, job-ready skills.”
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The new training centre is expected to have the same format. The press release notes that the investment is aligned with NWP’s plans to expand their trades program, bring in new people and retain apprentices and ultimately feeding the demand for skilled trades.
Grande Prairie’s mayor, Jackie Clayton called it a major milestone and supportive of community and business growth.
“This expansion means connecting future workers with education and career pathways, and supporting businesses with a ready and available workforce for growing industry demands.”
NWP is in the design stage and are preparing for apprenticeship intakes for fall 2026.
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