Ontario Construction News staff writer
Mohawk College announced today that its Construction Materials Laboratory has been certified by the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL) for industry testing – the first post-secondary institution in Canada to become certified by CCIL, a non-profit organization representing independent, private-sector testing laboratories in Canada and offers the largest laboratory certification program in the country.
“This certification showcases how our students and our applied research expertise will meet the highest of quality standards that are demanded by employers and partners of Mohawk College,” says Jeff McIsaac, dean of engineering technology and aviation. “Hamilton and our surrounding communities are recognized as a hub of innovation for the aggregate industry.
“As the first and only college in Canada to have been certified, we now can offer the industry the talent and expertise they need.”
The construction materials laboratory at Fennell campus supports applied research projects with the construction industry and serves as an operational lab used for teaching in the college’s Civil Engineering Technology and Architectural Technology programs . Certification means the college has met the standardization and interlaboratory testing requirements of the CCIL Aggregate Laboratory Certification program and is qualified for Aggregate Quality Control Laboratories (Type C) and Aggregate Physical Property Tests (Type D).
“I am proud and grateful to work with this amazing team to make this certification a reality,” said Irene Amog, a faculty member in the college’s School of Engineering Technology and Aviation, who led the certification process along with Tyler Sowden, the technologist for the college’s Building and Construction Sciences programs. “The certification will bring many learning opportunities to the present and future students of Mohawk College. I look forward to working with industry partners on their projects very soon.”
The newly certified lab will help support the growing demand in Ontario for applied research expertise in aggregate materials testing and applied research, in addition to giving Mohawk students an advantage when launching their careers in the construction sector. Regular laboratory inspections from CCIL will ensure that equipment is calibrated, staff members are proficient, and standardized test procedures are used.
Three Mohawk College students also received individual certifications during the lab certification process.
“This was a tremendous opportunity to further my knowledge in this field,” said Tyler Theim, who along with his classmates Evan Weidner and Oscar Padron Janica, received top marks on the certification exam. “It will assist in jump starting my career and I am grateful that Mohawk College is able to provide these experiences to students such as myself.”