**CWB WELDING FOUNDATION MEDIA RELEASE**

The Canadian welding industry has many great career opportunities ranging from welder, welding inspector, welding researcher and even a welding engineer. To introduce students ages 12-15 to the trade, in partnership with CWB Welding Foundation, TransCanada will be funding a welding summer camp in Timmins, O.N. The CWB Welding Foundation hosted its first pilot welding camp in Edmonton, Alberta in the summer of 2014 and is now annually executing 84 camps across Canada during the months of June, July, and August. Nine of these camps are supported by TransCanada in Alberta and Ontario.

The Timmins camp will be hosted by Northern College. This free camp funded by TransCanada will run July 9-13, 2018.

“We are thrilled to partner with the CWB Welding Foundation to help offer hands-on welding experience to secondary students and encourage them to consider careers in the skilled trades,” said Carla Morris, director, central region, TransCanada. “Today’s youth have the potential to be tomorrow’s skilled trades men and women who will build and operate the critical energy infrastructure that Canadians rely on to heat their homes, fuel their transportation and power the technology we use daily.”

“These camps are specifically designed to provide youth with a hands-on introduction to welding and inspire them to pursue a career in welding. They are also making lasting memories and building confidence while being supervised by professionals in a safe environment,” said Deborah Mates, executive director, CWB Welding Foundation.

Welding safety, Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), introduction to weld symbols, and a brief overview of the impact welding has on our daily lives will be part of the camp curriculum. Once the theoretical portion is completed, students will have fun with real arcs and sparks while they create their very own projects like cow bells, and a metal rose.

For more information contact Cody Vigeant, Program and Communications Associate, CWB Welding Foundation at 800.844.6790 Ext. 529 or Cody.Vigeant@cwbweldingfoundation.org

CWB Welding Foundation
The CWB Welding Foundation is a National registered charity that supports the Canadian welding industry by increasing public safety awareness in welding and addressing the welding skilled trade shortage and mismatch in Canada. Through education-based programs and initiatives, we continue to reduce barriers that affect key groups; elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and educators, Indigenous, women, at-risk youth, disabled, and the disadvantaged. We envision a future where all individuals are encouraged and provided the support needed to reach their true potential in a career in welding regardless of identity factors, social and financial status, and lived experiences including gender, age, ethnicity, language, literacy, culture, income, and geographical location.

TransCanada
With more than 65 years’ experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and liquids pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada operates one of the largest natural gas transmission networks that extends more than 91,900 kilometres (57,100 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is a leading provider of gas storage and related services with 653 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A large independent power producer, TransCanada currently owns or has interests in approximately 6,100 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is also the developer and operator of one of North America’s leading liquids pipeline systems that extends approximately 4,900 kilometres (3,000 miles), connecting growing continental oil supplies to key markets and refineries. TransCanada’s common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. Visit TransCanada.com to learn more, or connect with us on social media and 3BL Media.