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Durham College gets a new set of wheels

Kia donates vehicle to school's auto programs

Ted Lancaster, the chief operating officer for Kia Canada, and Don Lovisa, the president of Durham College, introduce the 2014 Kia Cadenza donated by the automaker to the school's automotive programs. Lovisa says cars such as these, filled with new technologies, gives students a headstart when it comes to entering the workforce.

Ted Lancaster, the chief operating officer for Kia Canada, and Don Lovisa, the president of Durham College, introduce the 2014 Kia Cadenza donated by the automaker to the school’s automotive programs. Lovisa says cars such as these, filled with new technologies, gives students a headstart when it comes to entering the workforce.

By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express

Along with the freedom to go anywhere, there is plenty that can come from a new car. For students at Durham College, it could even provide a leg up in the competitive job market.

On Sept. 23, Kia Canada donated a new vehicle to Durham College’s School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship and Renewable Technology. The 2014 Cadenza comes to the school equipped with the latest technology in the automotive industry.

Along with the V6 engine, the vehicle includes onboard navigation systems, lane departure warning systems, blind spot detection and vehicle stability management.

These new technologies, which are becoming more prevalent in today’s cars, will provide a great, much needed experience for students, says college president Don Lovisa.

“It’s an excellent learning experience and when the students leave the shop and they graduate, they’ll have worked on a car that has all the latest technology in it,” he says.

And that is exactly what the Korean car manufacturer is hoping for.

According to Ted Lancaster, Kia Canada’s vice president and chief operating officer, the auto industry is struggling to find high quality, experienced technicians. By working on this type of technology early on, students will already have strong qualifications when entering the job market.

“Durham College has a particularly strong reputation and we want to make sure that we provide the ability for them to be educated and really prepared for getting into the workforce,” Lancaster says.

Run out of Durham College’s Whitby campus, programs like the automotive service technician apprenticeship, motive power technician,  and the service and management program will all benefit from the new ride. All of the vehicles used in the program have been donated, Lovisa says.

“It’s these types of generous donations that allows us to run this program,” he says.

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