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The University of New Brunswick's College of Extended Learning has partnered with AMEC, the international engineering and project management company, to offer Canada's first Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Technician 1 training program.

"According to information provided on the Department of National Defence UXO and Legacy Sites Program website, several hundred UXO legacy sites are known to exist at locations spread across Canada's land mass. There are also approximately 63 priority offshore sites that have been identified, 43 on the Atlantic Coast and 20 on the Pacific Coast," said Raymond Getchell, head of Canadian UXO Operations, AMEC Earth and Environmental.

"It has also been recognized by those in the industry, that there is a shortage of qualified UXO technicians in Canada."

The UXO training program will train personnel to meet the demand. This will be the first program of its kind delivered at a Canadian civilian institution.

The UXO Tech 1 course is being taught by experienced professionals from AMEC, is accredited by UNB, and delivered with support from CFB Gagetown.

"The partnership will bring new qualified personnel to a recruiting pool needed to support Department of National Defense plans to develop a comprehensive and long-term UXO program," says David Parkinson, manager at AMEC's Fredericton office and vice president for the Maritime provinces.

"We are proud to be involved with this new program and important initiative. UNB accreditation provides the credibility and quality assurance required for this sort of training," said Lloyd Henderson, interim executive director at UNB's College of Extended Learning.

The inaugural course begins on Nov. 16 and runs for five weeks. Subsequent courses are planned for 2010.

The program has been approved by the Directorate of Ammunition and Explosives Regulations, the authorities in Canada on UXO qualifications. Course graduates are approved to work on UXO sites in Canada.

The College of Extended Learing is currently working with some candidates to fund their tuition costs for the program. Qualifying students are eligible for funding through the province's Training and Skills Development Program.

The program was almost two years in the making. AMEC UXO expert and dean of demolition, John Payne, has been working to ensure Canadian relevancy to the program, built on an existing course being offered in the U.S.