FORT ST. JOHN – Industrial Instrumentation and Oil and Gas Field Operations students at Northern Lights College will be the beneficiaries of a $37,100 donation of technology and scholarships from Zedi Inc.
The investment by Zedi will enhance the learning experience for NLC students with hands-on training, better preparing them for the job market.
“As an employer in the Fort St. John area, we are excited to have the opportunity to support Northern Lights College and its students. With increasing activity in the region related to the oil and gas industry, we believe equipping students with the skills and technology they will be using once they enter the workforce will be beneficial for all concerned,” said Joe Ollenberger, Zedi’s Senior Vice President, Sales and Support.
The technology component of the donation exposes students to the effective use of electronic flow measurement and well surveillance, key activities in the operation of gas wells.
The donation includes Zedi’s flagship surveillance product, the Smart-Alek®, and an eTube™, Zedi’s innovative primary metering device, both housed in a Smart-Skid™. Reporting to Zedi’s secure web portal, the equipment is representative of what producers are actively deploying today. To ensure optimal learning value, the technology is supplemented with instructor training and training materials.
“The equipment will form an essential learning component for our Instrumentation program, but also has uses that will allow crossover into other areas of NLC programming,” said Jeff Lekstrom, NLC Dean of Instruction for Trades, Apprenticeship and Technology. “We are excited to receive this technology and will put it to good use in training our students. This kind of support from industry enhances our programs and enables NLC to provide the hands-on training we are noted for.”
The scholarship component of the donation will see the creation of six new student awards, valued at $500 each. The scholarships will be awarded annually for the next five years. Students in the Oil and Gas Field Operations and Industrial Instrumentation Foundation/Level 1 programs, who meet specific eligibility criteria, will be eligible for the awards.
Zedi Inc. designs, develops, manufactures and distributes equipment and technology for the monitoring, measurement, analysis and management of production operations in the oil and gas and the pipeline industries in western Canada. Zedi has expanded its local operations in recent years, through the purchase of J&J Oilfield in Fort St. John, and Skyways Technical Services in Fort Nelson.
Student awards are administered by the NLC Foundation. For more information on the NLC Foundation, check the NLC website at nlc.bc.ca or contact Donna Kane at 250-784-7613 or email dkane@nlc.bc.ca.
For more information on Trades, Apprenticeship and Technology programs at NLC, check the website at nlc.bc.ca or contact the Student Recruitment department or Trades and Apprenticeship coordinator Pam Eales at 1-866-463-6652.