PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - March 11, 2015) - TransCanada has donated $250,000 towards skills training programs at the College of New Caledonia. The funding will be allocated to bursaries for trades students, region-wide safety training programs and implementation of the college's Digital Delivery Initiative (DDI). Henry Reiser, CNC president, believes that the generous donation will be a great benefit to those looking to get into the trades within the next couple of years.

"We are very happy with this agreement with TransCanada which will help to make education and skills training more available to communities across the region and to low-income learners," said Reiser. "It's through strategic partnerships like this one that we are able to offer relevant and valuable programming to our students and our communities."

"TransCanada has a 60-year history of investing in the communities where we operate. We support initiatives that are important to the people who live and work in those communities, including our own employees," said Tony Palmer, TransCanada's senior vice-president, stakeholder relations.

TransCanada is developing more than $13 billion in new natural gas pipeline projects in northern B.C. in support of the emerging liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry. The projects are expected to create thousands of jobs and other economic benefits across the region.

The Pathway to Pipeline Readiness Initiative will allot $55,000 in bursaries for trades students in financial need. The qualifying students will be enrolled in Industry Training Authority recognized trades programs at CNC which align with TransCanada's operations needs, including welding, power engineering, heavy duty mechanic, industrial mechanic and millwright, electrical, carpentry and professional cook.

$45,000 will sponsor Safety Training Week, a series of industry certification courses through CNC Continuing Education. The program, which will be offered at minimal cost for students, will run later this year at CNC's campuses in Burns Lake, Fort St. James, Mackenzie, Vanderhoof and Prince George.

TransCanada's donation will also support the design and implementation of CNC's Digital Delivery Initiative (DDI) through funding of $150,000. The funding will go toward educational planning as well as research and application of the DDI infrastructure and pilot delivery of programs and courses.

"Through discussions with local residents, community leaders, and Aboriginal groups, we have learned that investment in skills development and long-term education legacy programs are important to northern British Columbians," Palmer said. "We are working diligently with northern educational institutions such as the College of New Caledonia to ensure residents are able to access training in the essentials skills and relevant trades needed to participate in pipeline and other development projects in northern B.C."