Ontario-based Georgian College and Oro Station announced a partnership in February that will help expand opportunities in the region for academic programming, research and innovation, and apprenticeship and skilled-labour training focused on emerging automotive technology.
Oro Station is a 200-acre automotive innovation hub located adjacent to the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport in Oro-Medonte. The site will include 700,000 square-feet of industrial space meant for automotive research, engineering and development. This includes a 4.2 km test track.
The project has been more than a decade in the making, according to Geoffrey Campbell, Managing Partner of the Oro Station project. He said a partner like Georgian College has always been a key part of their vision for the project.
“Providing current curriculum that reflects the needs of the industry is critical to ensuring Ontario remains competitive in the automotive sector,” said Campbell. “Our emphasis on innovation naturally aligns with Georgian’s focus on ensuring their graduates are set up for success.”
On the Georgian side, they consider the partnership to be a good opportunity — for the college, ABSC, and the students.
“We look forward to exploring various community and industry collaborations, and working closely with Oro Station through future programming, training and research to meet the innovation needs of the industry and local employers,” said Kevin Weaver, Vice President, Academic, Georgian College.
Specific to Georgian College, the partnership will provide students with the type of experiential learning opportunities and valuable insights that ensures they have the skills and knowledge to have a successful career.
For Oro Station, it is the “ultimate Canadian destination for innovators and educators, racers and restorers, enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. It’s a place where they will all come together to form a unique community dedicated to all things automotive.”
