With a goal to make John Abbott College a leader in health-related fields, a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony took place Tuesday for the CEGEP's new science and technology building.

The new five-storey, $30-million project will house facilities to train nurses, ambulance technicians and pharmaceutical technicians.

"This will train students in English in areas where we have a shortage of qualified workers," said Education Minister Line Beauchamp.

To be completed in 2012, the building, equipped with geothermic heating, will benefit from $8 million in financing from federal and provincial governments.

"As a science student, I think it's great," said Andrew Francis, vice president of the school's student union. "We're going to be getting a lot of new labs with equipment we can use in the future, so we'll be ready for the job market."

With a burgeoning student population, the expansion to the Ste. Anne de Bellevue college is necessary. The 2010-2011 school year has a record 6,000 students attending classes, 425 students over capacity. The growth has forced some classes into neighbouring MacDonald High School.

"When we get the new facilities we're going to a lot more comfortable," said John Abbott's Director General Ginette Sheehy.