Tops in Canada: Denis Cote, Chair of VIU’s Power Engineering program, second from left, and former student Tim Ryper, second from right, were recognized for their contributions and achievements in the field of power engineering last week. Jude Rankin, left, Interprovincial Power Engineering Curriculum Committee Chair, and Joe Simms, Standardization of Power Engineer Examinations Committee Chair, presented them with their awards.
June 28, 2017 - 3:30pm
Tim Ryper and Fred Hillyer took first and third place in PanGlobal Training Systems’ 2017 Student Achievement Awards
Two former Vancouver Island University (VIU) Power Engineering students are not only top of their class – they have surged to the top of the list in Canada as well.
Tim Ryper and Fred Hillyer won first and third place respectively in the national Power Engineering Outstanding Achievement Student Awards for 4th Class Power Engineering. These annual awards, hosted by PanGlobal Training Systems, are based on achieving full 4th Class certification with the highest combined marks from their school program and national certification exams. About three dozen post-secondary institutions offer Power Engineering programs across Canada.
Ryper, who won with a 90.7% average, received $1,000 cash and travel and registration expenses to participate in the Inter-Provincial Power Engineering Curriculum Committee’s (IPECC’s) 2017 annual meeting in Montreal last week. The committee meets every year to go through the curriculum, make updates to learning materials and ensure the curriculum is harmonized across each province. Ryper received his award at a banquet on the final night of the conference.
“This is unbelievable, it almost doesn’t register. I was really surprised to learn I beat everyone,” he says.
Ryper, 32, who graduated at the end of 2015 from the 4th Class Power Engineering course at VIU, has been working as a power engineer at Catalyst Paper in Crofton ever since, where he also did his practicum through VIU.
“It’s a busy career, which I like because I’m not an idle kind of person,” says Ryper. “I enjoy the hands-on nature of the work, there’s a lot of problem solving involved – figuring out what happened and what you need to do to fix it.”
As third-place winner, Hillyer, who earned an 89.03% average, gets a gift from PanGlobal and is listed on the website as one of the winners. Hillyer, who was in the same class as Ryper, says his instructors played a big role in his academic success.
“They helped us prepare for our provincial exams and secure our practicums,” he says. “Anyone willing to make an effort can succeed.”
Denis Cote, Chair of VIU’s Power Engineering program, says the awards validate the teaching and learning happening at VIU.
“It’s a relatively new program – VIU started offering it in 2013 – so to have our students come out on top is really great,” he says. “The word is getting out about our program – I am now getting calls from employers. This will only help.”
Cote was also honoured at the awards banquet with an Education Contribution Award of Excellence, given to educators and industry professionals who have helped develop quality educational materials and experiences that promote excellence in Power Engineering learners.
“PanGlobal Training Systems is proud to acknowledge excellence through these recognition programs,” says Robert Clarke, President and COO. “Congratulations to the VIU recipients for their individual achievements at the 4th Class level of national certification!”
PanGlobal Training Systems produces learning materials for Power Engineering programs across North America and the world that are validated by third-party certifying bodies. The company is jointly owned by the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Click here for more information.
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Jenn McGarrigle, Communications Officer, Vancouver Island University
P: 250.740.6559 | C: 250.619.6860 | E: jenn.mcgarrigle@viu.ca | T: @VIUNews
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