Exterior view of Co-op Wellness Commons with MHC crest

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MHC & JBS partner to deliver automation training at Brooks Campus

MHC and JBS representatives holding a large cheque

Photo [left to right]: Dr. Nancy Brown, vice-president academic, Kevin Shufflebotham, president and CEO, David Colwell, President of JBS Global, and Kelly Johnson, JBS, celebrate a new educational partnership for the Brooks region.


Medicine Hat College (MHC) and JBS Canada have a successful history of collaboration, which will expand to include automation training in the coming months.

Thanks to a $250,000 contribution from JBS and its Hometown Strong program, MHC will develop and deliver automation training at its Brooks campus to support JBS employees and future students in their ability to gain valuable new skills or enhance career opportunities.

“As a Comprehensive Community College, our role at MHC is about engaging with the region, providing access, and serving learners. We can’t do that without exceptional partners like JBS,” says Kevin Shufflebotham, president and CEO. “Over the years, JBS has supported scholarships for students and pathways for continuing education. Today, we celebrate new training opportunities to benefit the region.”

David Colwell, President of JBS Global, was on hand for the celebration at the Brooks campus and shared appreciation for their partnership with Medicine Hat College.

“We’ve done multiple collaborations with MHC, with multiple different programs. We’ve got ideas as the plant continues to change and we’re bringing those ideas here to develop something together. I don’t see that stopping any time soon. These are real world experiences. We try to take something happening on the plant floor and bring it into the college so that our supervisors really learn,” explains Colwell.

From an introduction to electrical principles and motor control systems to a final capstone project that highlights the depth of student knowledge and experience, this automation maintenance training will benefit a variety of learners.

“Southeast Alberta is diverse, and Medicine Hat College is proud deliver a wide range of educational pathways to meet the needs of the people that live here,” adds Dr. Nancy Brown, vice-president academic at MHC. “From degrees and diplomas to trades and certificates, careers start – and grow – with MHC.”