A bridge to opportunity: Milestone connects students to the future of skilled trades at Georgian

**Photo**: Structural bridge being lifted into place to connect Georgian’s existing campus building to the expanded Centre for Skilled Trades.

Mother Nature was on side for an exciting event at the Barrie Campus on March 9, as an 82,000-pound structural bridge (the equivalent of 137 Grizzly Bears) was lifted into place, marking a significant milestone in the Centre for Skilled Trades expansion project — a project made possible through the early investments of generous partners and community supporters.

Suspended high above Grizzlies Way, the bridge now spans 114 feet between Georgian’s A Building (Centre for Sustainable Technologies) and F Building, forming a physical connection between the college’s existing facilities and the future expanded Centre for Skilled Trades. More importantly, it symbolizes something much greater: the collective investment of partners and community supporters in the future of skilled trades education.

**Photo from left:** Bishoy Abdalla, project manager, operations, Matheson Constructors; Fabrizio Bozzo, representing Sirco Machinery and the Gene Haas Foundation; Kimberley Greenwood, chair, Board of Governors, Georgian College; Kevin Weaver, president and CEO, Georgian College; Jennifer Coughlin, deputy warden, County of Simcoe; Andy Jiang, Schulich Builder Scholarship for Skilled Trades recipient and Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (HRAC) Technician student; Annette Atkinson, Schulich Builder Scholarship for Skilled Trades recipient and Cabinetmaking Techniques student; and Derek Keller, senior manager, project delivery, Facilities Management, Georgian College.

The bridge installation marks tangible progress in Georgian’s ambitious project to expand and modernize the Centre for Skilled Trades, a transformation that will renovate more than 72,000 square feet of learning space, add two additional storeys to the facility and create new spaces designed for the future of skilled trades education. Once complete, the expanded centre will feature new labs for construction and Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, along with major upgrades to the existing cabinetmaking, carpentry, advanced machining skills labs, as well as collaborative learning areas all inside an energy-efficient building envelope.

As part of the milestone event, a group of Georgian representatives, including two current skilled trades students, the senior project manager for Georgian and contractor, together with Kimberley Greenwood, chair, Board of Governors, Georgian College, Kevin Weaver, president and CEO, Georgian College, and community partners from Sirco Machinery, the Gene Haas Foundation and the County of Simcoe — signed the bridge before it was lifted into place. Their signatures will remain part of the structure, symbolizing the partnerships and community investment helping bring the Centre for Skilled Trades expansion to life.

Kevin Weaver, president and CEO, Georgian College, said the bridge-raising moment represented the power of community partnership. Speaking to investors and partners gathered for the milestone, Weaver reflected on what the moment represents for the future of skilled trades education.

“Raising the bridge doesn’t just connect buildings,” Weaver said during remarks at the event. “It reflects the way learning, innovation and opportunity come together at Georgian. Your investment helps turn vision into reality and ensures students have access to learning environments that truly prepare them for what comes next.”

David Bell, associate vice president, Advancement and Alumni Relations, also acknowledged the early supporters whose contributions to Georgian’s Building Tomorrow’s Trades campaign have helped move the project forward.

“And most importantly, thank you to our early supporters,” Bell said during remarks at the event. “Your investment keeps this project moving forward. Because of you, we’ve reached this exciting milestone, and there’s much more to come.”

Demand for skilled trades talent continues to grow rapidly across Ontario and within Georgian’s region. The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development projects that one in six job openings will be in the skilled trades in 2026, while labour-market analysis from Lightcast shows demand in Georgian’s catchment area is expected to grow 27 per cent, compared to the provincial rate of 12 per cent.

Projects like the Centre for Skilled Trades expansion are critical to meeting that demand.

During a small reception ahead of the bridge lift, guests heard directly from Annette Atkinson, a Cabinetmaking Techniques student and recipient of the prestigious Schulich Builder Scholarship for Skilled Trades, who spoke about how investments in skilled trades education are shaping opportunities for students like her.

**Photo from left:** Annette Atkinson, Cabinetmaking Techniques student and recipient of the Schulich Builder Scholarship for Skilled Trades, and Andy Jiang, Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (HRAC) Technician student and fellow Schulich Builder Scholarship recipient, at the bridge-raising milestone event celebrating the expansion of Georgian’s Centre for Skilled Trades at the Barrie Campus.

Before coming to Georgian, Atkinson worked in education and mentored students through Skills Canada while living in Nunavut — an experience that strengthened her belief in passing skills to the next generation.

“Seeing Georgian and the community continue to invest in spaces like the Centre for Skilled Trades is so meaningful,” Atkinson said. “It’s helping prepare the next generation of skilled trades professionals right here in our region.”

As construction continues, the bridge itself will soon be enclosed with glass and integrated into the new building addition, creating a seamless connection between campus spaces and improving safety, accessibility and visibility for skilled trades programs.

**Photo**: Fabrizio Bozzo, representing Sirco Machinery and the Gene Haas Foundation, signs the bridge — a permanent recognition of the impact of partner and community support on this project.

For supporters gathered to witness the moment, the lift was more than a construction milestone. It was a powerful reminder of what collective investment can build. Early investments have propelled the project to this point, and continued support will help complete a learning environment that reflects the unrivalled student experience Georgian is known for.

Learn more about the Building Tomorrow’s Trades campaign at Georgian.