Building for success: McElhanney donation supports VCC students

Vancouver Community College’s (VCC) CAD and BIM students now have access to cutting-edge technology thanks to a generous donation from McElhanney, an engineering and land survey firm.

The $8,500 donation provides virtual reality (VR) equipment for the CAD and BIM program’s 3D studio. The announcement was made at an event including VCC faculty, staff, students, VCC Foundation, and representatives from McElhanney at VCC’s Downtown campus.

“We are so thrilled to have access to VR technology for our CAD and BIM students,” says Kelly Wightman, Department Head, CAD and BIM Technologies. “Students will be able to collaborate on projects and identify how different parts of the building, such as plumbing and walls, interact with each other. This innovative technology truly gives students the experiential, hands-on learning that VCC is known for.”

Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) are fast growing fields with graduates finding work in a variety of industries including residential housing, commercial developments, civic and highway infrastructure, and more. In the past three years alone, VCC has seen a 33% increase in student enrolment in CAD and BIM’s three programs.

“Collaborating with organizations such as McElhanney is vital in ensuring students receive industry-relevant training and education,” says David Wells, VCC Vice President Academic and Applied Research. “We are grateful to McElhanney for their generous donation. Partnerships like this help set VCC students apart by giving students the practical tools needed to turn applied knowledge into meaningful careers.”

McElhanney is headquartered in Vancouver with offices across Western Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador and the USA. Recently, McElhanney received the industry’s top honours by receiving an Award of Excellence – Transportation Category from the Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada (ACEC) and Canadian Consulting Engineer (CCE) magazine on a transportation improvement project in North Vancouver. Over the years, VCC has valued McElhanney’s partnership with many VCC grads going on to work at one of McElhanney’s 30+ offices.

“It's no surprise that enriching and engaging learning opportunities lead to top-quality CAD and BIM technicians,” adds Patty Burt, Langley Branch Manager, McElhanney. “Combined with McElhanney’s commitment to caring for our communities, the donation of new VR equipment to enhance CAD and BIM student’s learning just made sense. We can’t wait to see how VCC students will use this equipment to create innovative solutions in the infrastructure industry.”

McElhanney and VCC representatives

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