2025 Training Home (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Sydney Chisholm

training house

TRU trades program celebrates completion of 35th training house

Jan 27, 2025 | 5:01 PM

KAMLOOPS – Thompson Rivers University (TRU) trades and technology students marked a milestone on Monday (Jan. 27), celebrating the completion of the program’s 35th training house with a campus lunch-in.

The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home in Westsyde represents the largest collaborative effort in the program’s history, with 86 students participating in its construction. This year’s project brought together TRU trades students and Grade 12 students from School District 73, offering hands-on experience in various aspects of home building.

Drew Atkinson, training house project manager and part owner of Wrabel Brothers Construction Ltd, emphasized the program’s value.

“Most kids have never swung a hammer, let alone used a drill or looked at a plan,” Atkinson explained. “It’s essential for these students to gain practical knowledge they wouldn’t get otherwise.”

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The project’s scope extended beyond carpentry, involving students from TRU’s HVAC, electrical and plumbing programs. This interdisciplinary approach provided a comprehensive learning experience, mirroring real-world construction scenarios.

Tyson VonHollen, a Grade 12 student who worked on the house, highlighted the program’s educational impact.

“The training has helped a lot,” he said. “Sometimes in the book, you don’t really understand what’s going on. But on site, you can put it all together and understand what’s in the book. It really helps.”

The training house program has become a cornerstone of TRU’s trades education, and replicated in other post-secondary programs. It not only provides students with practical skills but also contributes to the local community once it is auctioned off as the Y Dream Home, benefiting the Kamloops Y.

Community involvement has been crucial to the program’s success.

“I’m quite impressed by how much people volunteer their time and give to make this happen,” Atkinson noted. “It’s a huge community effort, bringing together post-secondary institutions and local partners.”

The project, located on Sage Drive, spans nearly 24,000 square feet, showcasing the scale of the students’ accomplishments. As the construction industry faces ongoing labour shortages, initiatives like TRU’s training house program look to prepare the next generation of skilled tradespeople.