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Diesel camp at VCC to teach young women the ABCs of diesel mechanics

VANCOUVER -- A group of young women taking a summer camp at VCC July 12 to 16 won't be donning shorts and sunglasses, but coveralls and safety goggles.

The second annual 2010 Cummins Western Canada Diesel 101 Summer Camp for Young Women will be teaching over a dozen girls and women aged 14 to 24 how to take apart and rebuild a diesel engine. At the completion of the task at last year's session, a cheer erupted from the group when the engine roared to life.

The camp, run in partnership with engine-maker Cummins Western Canada, was so successful in its inaugural year that another session was planned for this year.

Brian Haugen, head of VCC's department of heavy duty/commercial transport, says young women need to be encouraged to consider a career in trades. "Women are completely capable of working in heavy duty mechanics but don't always think of it as an option," says the father of six daughters. "Once they get in here, they see the cool factor of working on engines and realize it could be a great career."

Read what Bob Nixon, of CBC TV News Vancouver, wrote about Diesel 101 in his blog, Bob's World, and read the Vancouver Courier's coverage.