Heavy Equipment Technology’s Bobby Haraba among inductees
A NAIT instructor and a pair of alumni were among the inaugural inductees into the Alberta Trades Hall of Fame.
The Dec. 1 virtual ceremony honoured Heavy Equipment Technology instructor Bobby Haraba and alumni Herman Bruin (Plumber/Gasfitter ’70, Steamfitter ’73) and Doug Golosky (Welder ’65, Bachelor of Business Administration - Hon. ’15) for their contributions to the success and growth of the skilled trades and apprenticeship training.
Haraba has taught at NAIT for more than 20 years and has been a driving force behind the inclusion of heavy equipment technology in skills competitions at Skills Alberta-Canada and WorldSkills. In an interview for his hall of fame induction, he credited such competitions for changing perceptions about the skilled trades.
“That face-to-face interaction … is such a great opportunity to excite kids and show what a career in the trades has to offer.”
“That face-to-face interaction with young people is such a great opportunity to excite kids and show what a career in the trades has to offer,” he said.
Alumni inductees
Bruin was recognized after a 50-year career that includes starting his family’s business, Bruin’s Plumbing in Red Deer, and his leadership in industry training and safety. He helped launch the Alberta Safety Construction Association, which he once chaired, and served on boards for Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training, Workers’ Compensation Board, among others.
“It really matters to me that, at the end of the day, all workers are able to return home safely to their families,” Herman said during his induction.
After 20 years of working for others, Golosky and his wife Carol founded Clearwater Welding & Fabricating Ltd. in 1984. Two years later, they secured a contract with Syncrude – a relationship that would span more than two decades. His business ventures expanded to include eight companies that now employ more than 1,000 skilled tradespeople in the Wood Buffalo region.
“I worked for guys and watched what they were doing. I decided to try not to make the same mistakes they did. But I also realized that your employees are the key to being successful,” Golosky said.
Golosky, whose grandmother was Cree, would turn one of those companies into an initiative called Lynco Eagle, a First Nations and Métis partnership that provides training and employment for Aboriginal peoples in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Industry leaders
Two NAIT honorary degree recipients were also recognized: Eric Newell (Engineering Technology ’00) and JudyLynn Archer (Construction Management Technology ’06). Archer was also a member of NAIT’s Board of Governors from 2015-17.
A certified journeyperson, Archer founded Women Building Futures in 1998. The not-for-profit provides training and affordable housing for women looking to enter the construction, maintenance and driving industries.
Trained as a chemical engineer, Newell was recognized for “revolutionary innovations” in the skilled trades and oil sector through executive roles with Imperial Oil and Syncrude, the latter of which he led as CEO for 14 years.
School of Skilled Trades dean Matthew Lindberg (Plumber ’01) says it was inspiring to watch the virtual celebrations and to learn about the recipients’ “amazing contributions” to the skilled trades in Alberta.
“I was taken aback by their dedication and passion for their trades,” he says. “So many of them were also connected to NAIT, highlighting how important NAIT and its devoted staff are to the province’s skilled trades.”