Canfor Southern Pine has donated $178,000 to sponsor Bishop State Community College’s Skills Boss Lab in the college’s new Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center.
The 998 sq ft Skills Boss Lab will provide students hands-on learning experiences with enhanced manufacturing technology. This space will allow students to receive an education and training for the Manufacturing Skills Standard Council (MSSC) Certified Production Technician credential. This credential provides hands-on foundational manufacturing training covering four modules: safety, quality control, production and processes, and maintenance awareness.
“We are excited about Canfor Southern Pine’s support of Bishop State’s new Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center and our objective to meet and exceed the workforce needs of new and existing industries,” says Dr. Lawrence Brandyburg, Interim President of Bishop State Community College. “Our goal is to provide our local industry partners a highly skilled workforce and access to advanced training. Canfor’s support allows the college to purchase cutting-edge industry-recommended equipment to produce job-ready graduates. Canfor’s commitment demonstrates its dedication to not only Bishop State Community College but also to the future growth and stability of our local economy.”
In addition to the donation, Canfor Southern Pine will have naming rights to the Skills Boss Lab.
“We’re excited to support the development of the Skills Boss Lab in the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center at Bishop State Community College,” said Tony Sheffield, President, Canfor Southern Pine. “With wood products manufacturing operations in seven states including three locations in Alabama, Canfor Southern Pine is proud to support students as they gain valuable training, knowledge, and technical skills in this state-of-the-art classroom facility. We hope that this contribution will advance and build a highly skilled and innovative workforce to expand students’ interest in the manufacturing industry.”
The Skills Boss Lab will be housed in the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center - a nearly 80,000 square-foot facility that will house programs including process technology, industrial maintenance, electronics engineering technology, additive and subtractive manufacturing, pipefitting technology, and fluid power technology.
About Canfor Southern Pine
Canfor is a global leader in the manufacturing of sustainable forest products. They turn the fiber that enters their mills into lumber, pulp, and green energy. Their lumber and pulp products are used every day around the world, and they continue to look for new opportunities to be a leader in the supply of environmentally friendly solutions.
In the U.S. they operate as Canfor Southern Pine and have 15 manufacturing facilities and a new sawmill underway in DeRidder, Louisiana. The company also operates a trucking fleet and has a corporate office in Mobile, Alabama. Canfor is based in Vancouver, British Columbia with interests in British Columbia, Alberta, North and South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, as well as in Sweden with 70% interest in Vida Group.
About Bishop State Community College
Bishop State Community College is dedicated to serving the educational and workforce development needs of the community. Bishop State is an accredited, state-supported, open-admission community college offering academic transfer opportunities, training in high-demand technical fields, and adult education programs.
It is the college’s mission to provide its students with a quality and affordable education that equips them with the skills and knowledge needed to successfully enter the workforce and thrive. For more information, visit www.bishop.edu.