Thompson Rivers University

City:  Kamloops
Province/State:  British Columbia
College WebSite: http://www.tru.ca/
Mechanic Programs: Heavy Truck • Heavy Equipment • Partsperson

Heavy Duty Mechanic  & Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic (combined) Foundation Program Summary:

This Foundation program is a combination of the Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic  and the Heavy Duty Mechanic programs.  It is Module 1 of 5 modules (Modules 2-5 are in the Apprenticeship Program) and is a prerequisite and prepares students for the following apprenticeships:

• Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
• Transport Trailer Technician (Commercial Trailer Mechanic)
• Truck and Transport Mechanic (Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic)

The Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic repairs and maintains transportation vehicles such as trucks and buses. This occupation is an apprenticeable trade that emerged to meet the needs of increased specialization in the transportation industry.

The Heavy Duty Mechanic trade repairs heavy off-highway equipment  used in the logging, mining, construction  and other industries.  Such equipment may include  loaders, bulldozers, graders etc.

Program Contact Details:

Questions regarding Foundation Training tuition or other TRU services,  should be directed to TRU’s Registrar’s Office:

E-mail:  Linda Parent

Phone: (250) 828-5046

Questions regarding the Commercial Transport/ Heavy Duty Foundation Programs, please contact:

Email: Lyle Hirowatari

Mechanical/Welding Chairperson

Phone:  (250)828-5130

Fax:        (250)371-5911

Murray Tamas – Commercial Transport/ Heavy Duty Foundation Instructor

Phone:  (250) 828-5129

Fax:        (250)371-5911

Email: Mike Shields

Mechanics Instructor – Williams Lake

Ph:   (250)392-8120

Fax:  (250)392-4984

Partsperson (Warehousing) Foundation Program Summary:

The Partsperson program is designed to prepare students for employment in parts departments such as those found in automotive repair shops, heavy machinery repair shops, truck repair shops, government maintenance shops, mine maintenance shops, automotive parts retailers and wholesalers, etc.

This course covers all the aspects necessary for the student to function in a warehouse or parts department situation. Topics included are: shipping and receiving, identification of parts, engine, power train, chassis and support systems – fittings and fasteners, tools, catalogue types and application conversions, communication with customers, safety and warehousing, inventory control, business machine operation, basic computer operation, computer inventory control, sales and merchandising.

Program Contact Details:

Email: Lyle Hirowatari – Parts & Warehousing Foundation Instructor

Phone:  (250) 828-5121

Fax:       (250) 371-5911

Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic Apprenticeship Program Summary:

This program is offered to indentured apprentices.  Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic/Technician Apprentices attend technical training six weeks per year for a minimum of four years.

Heavy Duty Mechanic Apprenticeship Program Summary:

This program is offered to indentured apprentices. Heavy Duty Mechanic apprentices attend technical training six weeks per year for a minimum of four years.

Partperson Apprenticeship Program Summary:

A Partsperson is involved in ordering, warehousing and keeping inventory control over parts and accessories for industries like the automotive, commercial transport, heavy duty and marine sectors. They are responsible for helping these parts and accessories make their way from manufacturers to consumers, documenting and tracking their progress along the way from factories to warehouses to retail outlets.  A Partsperson is designated as a Partsperson under the Inter-provincial Red Seal program.

A Partsperson is often responsible for receiving goods and sorting incoming parts, supplies and materials. They maintain shipping and receiving records on the amount, kind and location of parts and supplies shipped or received and process purchases and reconcile inventories with physical counts. In the automotive parts industry, a Partsperson can typically get a job with one of two parts of the industry:

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Dealerships, which sell officially produced parts usually for one specific make of vehicle (like Ford or Toyota); or, after-market industry stores (like Canadian Tire), which sell parts for many different models of cars and trucks.

Program Contact Details:

E-mail:  Julie Dekowny

(250) 371-5659

Toll-free at 1-866-371-5659

Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is committed to facilitating student access to university education that combines the career benefits of an applied approach with opportunities for community-oriented, relevant research at both the graduate and undergraduate level, with seamless transitions between programs.

With program offerings ranging from university preparation to graduate programs, TRU has become a leader in providing students with opportunities to combine the scholarship and research of a first-class university degree with the career benefits of applied studies.

Now the fourth largest university in the province, TRU was created in 2005 when the University College of the Cariboo joined with the British Columbia Open University.

Centered in the heart of Kamloops, BC, TRU’s campus is one of Canada’s most beautiful university settings. A vibrant community of over 13,000 students from across Canada and around the world complete undergraduate and graduate degrees in addition to diplomas, apprenticeships, professional certificates, continuing studies and ESL. Another 10,000 students take advantage of TRU’s flexible learning options to study online or by distance through the Open Learning Division. Students can also take programs at regional centres throughout the interior of BC, a satellite campus in Williams Lake, and an Open Learning Centre in Vancouver.

TRU focuses on the individual student experience with small classes, accessible faculty, research opportunities for graduates and undergraduates, co-op and study abroad programs, and a global competency distinction. As fitting for a university located in Canada’s Tournament Capital Centre, TRU has 11 WolfPack varsity teams comprising of 200 athletes, participating in basketball, volleyball, golf, hockey, baseball, soccer, badminton and cross-country running. Another 600 students participate in an active intra mural sports program.