EDMONTON – The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) has officially broken ground on its Advanced Skills Centre (ASC), launching construction of what will be the largest project in the polytechnic’s history.
Located on NAIT’s main campus, the 625,000-square-foot facility is designed to reshape skilled trades and technology education, according to a release from the institution.
The project carries a total price tag of $779 million and represents a joint investment between the Government of Alberta and NAIT. The provincial government is providing 75 per cent of the funding, while NAIT is contributing the remaining 25 per cent.
The construction project, identified as the NAIT Advanced Skills Centre Project, has a construction manager award value of $476,000 and is located at 11762 106 St. in Edmonton. The project is classified as public, state/provincial and educational new construction, with project data current as of September 10, 2026.
The ASC is being delivered with the support of Dialog + GEC, which is serving as the project’s architect, and PCL Construction, acting as construction manager.
Once completed, the centre will bring 29 programs together under one roof, creating a consolidated training environment for students pursuing careers across construction, transportation, manufacturing and energy.
The facility has been designed to replicate real-world worksites as closely as possible. Its flexible learning spaces will give students opportunities to develop practical skills through hands-on training, according to NAIT.
The institution expects the new centre to allow it to train an additional 5,500 students. This expansion will increase NAIT’s capacity to more than 15,000 skilled trades students each year.
“As a NAIT graduate, I know the impact a learning environment can have on a student’s future,” said Nathalie Durant, NAIT Alumna (Plumber and Gasfitter ‘17), in a statement.
“The Advanced Skills Centre will give students and apprentices the space, technology, and hands-on training they need to build confidence and prepare for successful careers. This is an investment in the next generation of skilled trades professionals.”
NAIT will finance its share of the project through internal resource allocation, along with support from donors and industry partners.
Construction of the Advanced Skills Centre is now underway, with the first cohort of students scheduled to enter the facility in fall 2030.
