Jim Smith has taught at Fleming College’s Resources Drilling Technician Program for more than 15 years, so he’s an expert on not only training up-and-coming drillers, but also helping veteran drillers brush up their skills. We brought him on Drilling In-Site, episode 21, to talk about the school, as well as the current challenges and opportunities of a modern trades education.

“My boots are dirty still,” Smith says. A Fleming graduate himself, Smith still spends summers on a rig.

“It does give you some of that credibility that is required, especially to teach adults, but even our post-secondary students who’ve just come out of high school. They want to see that. They want to see that you know what you’re talking about through boots on the ground.”

Our talk goes into detail about the school, developing curriculum around innovations and regulations, and what a college like Fleming can offer young people.

“To be blunt about it, we have a lot of employers looking for our students. … At our job fair for the whole school, at least a third if not half of all companies are drilling companies looking for our 50, 60, 70, 80 students.”

Smith and other professors get those students ready for careers in the industry with hands-on learning in exploration, HDD, foundations and other types of drilling. Check out today’s episode to hear more. Watch the video here or listen to the full audio version of our conversation at www.thedriller.com/insite-podcast. You can also find our show on Apple Podcasts. Search for Drilling In-Site, then hit Subscribe.

Resources

Jim Smith: jim.smith@flemingcollege.ca
Fleming College: www.flemingcollege.ca
Jim Smith also appears on Ask Brock episode 47, What to Expect in a Drilling School. See that episode here: www.thedriller.com/articles/91794-what-to-expect-in-a-drilling-school