London, Ont. family honours late father with $2M donation to Fanshawe College to support skilled trades

On Friday, Fanshawe College received one of the largest individual gifts in its history.

Jamie Crich, president of Auburn Developments, announced a donation of $2 million to the college to create the Don Crich Skilled Trades Accelerator, named in honour of his late father.

“We’re happy to do this. It's a great institution and it's much needed,” Crich said. “It’s something to show what a great job and mentor he was to us.”

Known for his passion for construction, Don Crich was the founder of Auburn Developments, TerraCorp Management, Auburn Homes and Stonerise Construction. He passed away in 2015.

Jamie Crich’s late sister Karen sat on the Fanshawe College Foundation Board of Directors from 2014 to 2020.

“My sister, Karen, recognized it can be challenging for people who are interested in skilled trades to get started, and she saw community colleges as the link to helping people get into the field,” Crich added.

The gift will be used to create a new skilled trades’ accelerator, a hub that will help people looking to get into trades to find the resources they need to be successful.

“Whether you're a student seeking apprenticeship, whether you're an employer, a school board, this will be that one stop shop,” said Stephen Patterson, the dean of Fanshawe’s Faculty of Science, Trades, and Technology.

“You’ll be able to access all of the public services that exist around the province which can sometimes be difficult to navigate,” he added.

With a critical need for people who are trained in skilled trades in the current labour market, the launch of the accelerator hub is meant to help people learn a trade or find employment opportunities. Crich hopes this will assist with the critical shortage.

“Existing students, parents, as well as unions, and industry partners can come to understand the complexities and the opportunities that exist in skilled trades,” said Peter Devlin, Fanshawe College president. “Skilled trades are what’s going to propel the region, the province, and the nation into the future so this is why we are so grateful to the Crich family.”

Fanshawe has “more than 40 programs focused on skilled trades and apprenticeship,” with more than 5,000 students each year studying in apprenticeship programs, according to Patterson.

The Don Crich Skilled Trades Accelerator will be part of Fanshawe’s “Innovation Village” space at the London campus, which will be used to deliver large presentations for industry fairs and recruitment events.

The space will also be beneficial for members of the trades’ community looking to meet with students, discuss employment opportunities and hold workshops.

The new hub will be located within Fanshawe’s Innovation Village, and is expected to open in the spring.