Municipal partnership delivers increased engineering capacity throughout the sector

For Immediate Release
October 6, 2020

St. John’s, NL – Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL) has partnered with Memorial University’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to deliver engineering student work placements to municipalities across the province.

This fall semester, up to 10 municipalities are welcoming 3rd and 4th year engineering co-op students to work on infrastructure-related projects for four months. Municipalities will also participate in the winter 2021 semester. MNL is hiring a student in both semesters as part of its commitment to help members with asset management planning.

“This is an exciting partnership for MNL. We see the value in providing work experience to students studying in our province and showing them that the municipal sector is a desirable place for future employment. This is, of course, also a great opportunity for our members to expand their capacity and to work with our future labour force,” said MNL President Sheila Fitzgerald.

“We are delighted to partner with communities across the province on their infrastructure development and maintenance projects,” said Dr. Greg Naterer, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, at Memorial University. “Our talented co-op students bring innovative new ideas that can benefit communities in their asset management plans, capital works projects and long-term planning of infrastructure.”

“We are very pleased with the partnership between ACOA, MNL and Memorial. This partnership has enabled our municipalities to benefit from the skillful and resourceful engineering co-op education students, while at the same time providing valuable work experience to our students”, stated Anil Raheja, Director, Engineering Co-op Education, Memorial University. “This is a good example of all stakeholders benefiting from a successful partnership.”

“Twenty-two of our brightest students are getting real world experience while working to improve our communities,” said the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.

ACOA is investing $291,540 in the project, while Memorial University is contributing $44,173 and MNL and participating municipalities are contributing $53,007.

MNL is administering the engineering work-term project as part of its membership services program, MNL Advantage. More information about MNL Advantage can be found on the MNL website.

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Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador
Deatra Walsh – Director of Advocacy and Communications
Cell: 709-986-2771 l email: dwalsh@municipalnl.ca

Gail Woodfine – Communications and Public Relations Coordinator
Cell: 709-725-1440 l email: gwoodfine@municipalnl.ca

ACOA Newfoundland and Labrador
Paul McGrath – Director of Communications
709-689-5731l email: paul.mcgrath@canada.ca