Written by Courtney Jones

The design of trades and applied technology learning environments directly shapes how students grow into skilled, adaptable professionals. As demand for skilled trades expertise grows, facilities must spark innovation, encourage collaboration, and prepare learners for a rapidly changing workforce.

Well-designed spaces connect classroom theory with real-world application. Dynamic workshops, simulation labs, and flexible indoor-outdoor learning spaces enable students to transition seamlessly between instruction and experimentation. Collaboration zones encourage problem-solving and teamwork, while thoughtful layouts, durable finishes, lighting, and ventilation prioritize safety and functionality.

Fostering Collaboration and Hands-On Skills

Modern trades education facilities emphasize accessibility, adaptability, and teamwork. Open layouts and future-ready infrastructure let labs and workshops evolve alongside new equipment and teaching methods.

Olds College’s Werklund Agriculture & Technology Centre illustrates this approach. Once a closed-off structure, it was transformed into an open incubator celebrating student culture and hands-on learning. Collaboration spaces line the central atrium, glass-walled labs encourage interactive learning, and large folding doors connect classrooms to outdoor spaces. Maker spaces and a greenhouse reinforce the college’s forward-looking vision while strengthening connections between students, faculty, and industry partners.

Modernizing Facilities to Transform Learning

Today’s trades education facilities are designed to grow alongside industry needs, creating learning environments that inspire curiosity while building technical expertise.

Olds College – W.J. Elliott Trades Building

First built in 1971, the W.J. Elliott Trades Building is being modernized to support the next generation of trades and applied technology students. The project blends renovation with a new addition, introducing state-of-the-art learning environments while respecting the existing structure.

At the heart of the design is the “forklift alley,” a connective spine linking classrooms and labs. This feature improves visibility, breaks down barriers between disciplines, and fosters collaboration across programs. Expansive workshop bays accommodate heavy-duty equipment such as combines and semi-trucks, giving students the chance to develop skills in settings that mirror real industry conditions.

Flexible learning spaces, integrated technology, and a two-storey glass wall opening onto the campus quad ensure the building remains adaptable to future program needs while strengthening its role as a community hub. Additional updates include a refreshed façade, redesigned site circulation for large vehicles, and an office addition improving accessibility and efficiency. Together, these improvements create a safe, functional, and inspiring hub for hands-on learning at Olds College.

Red Deer Polytechnic – CIM-TAC Expansion

Red Deer Polytechnic’s Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing – Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC) is a hub for applied research, product development, and industry collaboration. The Centre’s current expansion will increase the facility’s size from 15,000 to 25,000 square feet, enhancing its capacity to deliver advanced manufacturing solutions and experiential learning.

The design introduces modular classrooms, cutting-edge labs, and collaborative project zones that adapt to new tools and teaching methods. Students will gain technical skills and problem-solving abilities while working in environments that reflect professional industry settings.

When complete in fall 2026, the expanded CIM-TAC will provide work-integrated learning for more than 450 post-secondary students annually, along with thousands of additional learners through training and workshops. By housing advanced prototyping equipment and applied research services, the facility will fuel innovation across industries, including energy, transportation, agriculture, aviation, and healthcare.

Preparing Students for Real-World Careers

SAIT’s Trades and Technology Complex, which includes the Aldred Centre, Johnson-Cobbe Energy Centre, and Cenovus Energy Centre, shows how design directly shapes student learning outcomes.

This complex was intentionally designed as an educational resource to support applied learning. Open labs, visible project zones, and exposed building systems serve as living teaching tools, where students learn from real operations alongside classroom instruction. Skylights draw natural light into labs and classrooms, while exposed pipes and ducts reveal the systems that power the building. Every detail, from fire protection to equipment circulation, was designed to keep learning safe, transparent, and interactive.

SAIT’s Trades and Technology Complex empowers learners to move beyond memorization into true applied knowledge. By working directly with real building systems, students strengthen their critical thinking skills, sharpen their technical expertise, and build the confidence to apply their skills seamlessly in real-world projects and industry settings.

Designing Future-Ready Trades Education Facilities

Modern trades education facilities share core design strategies that help prepare students for evolving industry demands:

• Connect learning to doing: Integrate classrooms with hands-on labs to turn theory into practice.

• Build for change: Flexible layouts and resilient materials ensure spaces evolve with tools, programs, and industry shifts.

• Prioritize safety: Smart circulation, ventilation, and durable finishes create functional, secure learning environments.

• Leverage technology: Integrated labs, simulation spaces, and digital tools prepare students for hybrid, technology-driven careers.

• Encourage collaboration: Light-filled gathering areas and visual connectivity foster community and innovation.

• Keep students at the center: Inclusive, adaptable, and inspiring spaces empower learners to take ownership of their education.

Preparing Students for Success in Trades and Applied Technology

As industries evolve, trades education facilities must stay one step ahead. When designed with purpose, these environments become more than classrooms or workshops. They become environments that spark curiosity, build confidence, and give students the tools to tackle real-world challenges.

At GGA, we believe design has the power to shape the future of learning. By creating flexible, technology-integrated, and collaborative facilities, we help students not only gain technical skills but also develop the resilience and creativity necessary to thrive in careers across various trades and applied technology fields.