NFMTC’s training facilities have improved consistently over the last few years, contributing to our success. One piece of equipment acquired in 2012-2013 was a bridge training simulator. This is a desktop based computer system allowing students to emulate the operation of a vessel in various navigations areas, using various boats and in various weather conditions. The system includes two student workstations and an instructor workstation, a basic navigation module, an ice navigation module (allowing students to navigate in ice conditions) and a fishing module, which allows students to simulate a fishing trip – this includes finding the fish, dropping the nets and pulling the nets back into the boat. The funding for this equipment ($300,000) was raised outside of our regular funding. In 2013-2014 we secured funding for additional navigational areas and additional monitors which give a 180 degree visual. In 2014-2015, we were able to add more vessels to our simulator, allowing our students even more and different experiences using the simulator.
NFMTC had the vision of having a facility that would become the Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Center – that vision has become a reality. We were able to enter into a long-term lease for a building that we have since renovated and repurposed for a training facility. The new facility of Federal Road houses three large classrooms, a lounge complete with computer lab, two instructor offices and washrooms. The facility has been in use since mid-September, 2016 and has brought many improvements to our training. This environment allows for students of all levels to interact, it brings the instructors together and it gives our students great pride – they have their own building – a special place where they can come to learn and grow and prepare for work.
