Parkwood Southland Hosts 20th Annual Project Heavy Duty

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Under careful supervision from professional operators, students operated heavy-duty machinery throughout Project Heavy Duty (Caitlin Coombes, Energeticcity.ca)

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The 20th annual Project Heavy Duty was held with great success at Parkwood Southlands off Parkwood Drive.

16 students from across School District 60 participated in a week of intensive, hands-on training on a realistic job site near Ma Murray School on 116th Street.

The project is intended to provide grade 11 and 12 students with hands-on experience and skills in driving heavy-duty machinery and support them in making connections in the industry.

Jeffrey Mayer, one of Project Heavy Duty’s coordinators and School District 60 work experience teacher, explained that the project site operates similarly to a real site, allowing students to have a realistic experience.

“This is a real work site. Real worksite, real goals, real standards, the whole nine yards, that’s what makes it really unique,” Mayer said.

13 male and three female School District 60 grade 11 and 12 students gathered at the Parkwood Southland site from May 27th to 31st. (Caitlin Coombes, Energeticcity.ca)

The students are taught and supervised by professional operators throughout the week and learn to drive and operate various pieces of heavy equipment ranging from graders and excavators to rock trucks and compactors.

Parkwoods Southland is developing the site for commercial use and plays host to Project Heavy Duty annually. This year, students were tasked with excavating and levelling one part of the site before transporting and spreading a layer of clay on the excavated area.

The students were grubbing and stripping (excavating, hauling and stockpiling) topsoil from the Lot and importing, placing and compacting clay fill material to build the Lot to final grade.

For youth interested in careers in fields requiring these skills, Project Heavy Duty allows them to be exposed to industry professionals.

“A lot of the employers, sponsors, and operators come from different companies. Some are donated by the companies, others are here on their own accord, and they’re scouting, wanting to see who’s good,” Mayer said.

Mayer said every year he is delighted at the community’s support for the project and the students. All student equipment is donated, with one excavator being brand new when the project began on May 27th.