When a student in Loyalist College’s Welding and Fabrication Technician program needed a more accessible way to complete hands-on lab work, Welding Shop Technician Harold McQuigge helped redesign the learning environment around that need.
The student had previously attended another college, where the welding booths could only be reached by going down a few stairs. Without access to a ramp, she had been lifted out of her wheelchair and carried to the booth to participate in classes.
“We wanted to make her time at Loyalist more enjoyable,” Welding faculty member John Campbell says. “We knew we had the expertise on our team to empower her with a space that would allow her to be self-sufficient.”
With support from John, Harold began modifying a larger welding booth.
Harold’s accessibility adjustments began with a motor-and-gear system, allowing the student to raise and lower the table using buttons on the wall. He lowered the machines and controls, modified a table in the fitting room so she could roll under it and added a lower attachment to the cutting table so she could cut her own material.
As the student settled into the space, he built a support system to carry the weight of the welding cable, an arm brace to help her keep steady while welding and added a smaller grinder inside the booth.
“It was a project that took some thinking,” Harold says. “We worked closely with the student, asking what she wanted different or changed, and we made sure it happened.”
“The modifications Harold made for her meant she was able to work independently,” says John. “She didn’t feel she had to constantly ask for assistance. We were able to treat her like any other student.”
By the end of the school year, the student had earned Canadian Welding Bureau certifications.
On May 27, Harold was recognized by the City of Belleville with a 2026 Accessibility Excellence Award for his work making skilled trades education more accessible at Loyalist.
The City of Belleville’s Accessibility Excellence Awards recognize individuals, groups, organizations and businesses that go beyond legislated requirements to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. Nominations are reviewed in several areas, including built environment, customer service, education, employment, information and communication, and transportation.
John nominated Harold for the award for Built Environment/Education after seeing the care and persistence behind the modifications.
“He never stopped making adjustments,” John says. “Now we have an accessible booth that will give more students independence and the ability to study in a growing profession with limited barriers.”
As a full-time Welding Shop Technician, Harold supports students and faculty . A 433A Industrial Mechanic Millwright himself, Harold has worked at Loyalist for more than 17 years.
Harold says his approach will continue wherever there is a need.
The timing of Harold’s recognition comes as communities across Canada prepare to mark National AccessAbility Week from May 31 to June 6. This year’s theme, “Building a Strong, Accessible Canada,” focuses on the work of people, organizations and communities removing barriers and advancing accessibility.
“Every student deserves to feel welcome, supported and empowered to succeed,” says Matthew Ayres, Dean, Applied Sciences and Skilled Trades. “Harold’s work is a powerful example of that commitment in action. His modifications helped remove barriers for one student while creating lasting accessibility improvements for future learners.”
At Loyalist, that work includes formal student supports, inclusive teaching practices and practical changes to the spaces where learning happens.
Learn more about AccessAbility Services at Loyalist College.
