CALGARY, ALBERTA: (June 29, 2005) – NAIT and Spartan Controls Announce Major Investment in Process Control and Instrumentation Technology Education

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and Spartan Controls are pleased to announce a partnership investment in the future of Alberta, and in the next generation of our instrumentation workforce. Spartan will be the major sponsor of a new addition to the Edmonton campus, the NAIT Spartan Centre for Instrumentation Technology providing a broad scope of state-of-the-art equipment, expertise and support, ongoing upgrades, and collaboration to sustain leading technology as a key part of curriculum, for at least the next ten years.

The Spartan Centre will provide students and industry with leading edge process control technology education and experience.  It will house the main classrooms, labs and workshops for students in the Instrument Apprenticeship and Technologist programs, as well as process control fundamentals for the Petroleum, Chemical, Power and Materials technology programs. This upgrade to world‑class facilities will enable NAIT to significantly enhance these programs, as well as increase the number of Instrumentation apprentice technologist enrollments from 640 to 930 by 2009. Additionally, the centre will be available to supplement industry learning and technology assessment.

Western Canada is fortunate to have the resource base and economic environment for success. Capitalizing on these advantages, both immediately and long‑term, requires a strong local workforce with practical knowledge and skills. NAIT has a proven record of providing industry with competent, ready-to-work graduates. Spartan has been fortunate to work with many graduates and to represent leading technology from Emerson Process Management and other manufacturers. Together, Spartan and NAIT can provide industry with graduates who are familiar and comfortable with applying and supporting leading process control and instrumentation. For project investments, this means lower capital costs, improved performance to budgets and schedules, and smoother installation and commissioning. Operationally, this also means lower maintenance costs, more effective leverage of technology, and a leadership position for Alberta in hydrocarbon and other process industries.

This is a major investment and a long-term commitment, for both Spartan and NAIT. Dr. Sam Shaw, President of NAIT, comments, "NAIT places a high emphasis on its instrumentation technology programs and their importance to industry in Western Canada. Having support of market leaders with strong product technology and great customer service like Spartan Controls is of great value to NAIT's students and increases our ability to respond to increasing demands for high quality skilled labour." Mike Begin, President and CEO of Spartan, adds, "NAIT has been a substantial provider of process control and instrumentation talent to industry. Their current initiative to step it up further is much appreciated, and as a result Spartan is pleased to also step up its support in a major way."

Construction of the NAIT Spartan Centre is expected to begin July 2005, with completion slated for August 2007.  First classes in the new facility are scheduled for September 2007.

About Spartan Controls

Spartan Controls sells, applies and services products that measure, control, and automate processes for the process industries in Western Canada. Dedicated to delivering great service and value, Spartan serves the oil and gas, power, pulp and paper, mining, chemical, water treatment and other process industries.  As well, Spartan continually invests to provide differentiated local support for their customers.   Information on the company is available at www.spartancontrols.com.

NAIT is one of the largest institutes of technology in Canada and serves more than 60,000 students annually at nine campuses in Alberta. The Institute is the largest apprenticeship trainer in Canada, providing training to 57 percent of tradespeople in Alberta and 19 percent nationally. NAIT also delivers 34 different apprenticeship programs and is the sole provider in Alberta of 13 of these trades.