It came at the end of a mid summer City Council meeting, the Mayor offering up his surprise and disappointment to learn that Northwest Community College had recently relocated the popular Electrical program from the Prince Rupert campus, centralizing it at the main campus at Terrace.
The Mayor offers up his observations on the issue at the 37:45 mark of the July 30th streaming broadcast of the council proceedings, seeking a motion from council to request a meeting with NWCC officials to discuss this and other education related concerns that council may have.
It took a couple of prompts from the Mayor, but in the end Councillor Garon seconded the motion, a situation that provided for further discussion from Councillor Carlick-Pearson on the importance of NWCC in Prince Rupert.
Following those talking points around the table, city staff was instructed to seek information from the college as to the reasoning behind the electrical move and perhaps to determine if there are any other local programs at risk as the college continues with its budget cutting.
As has been reported through 2012, NWCC is currently trying to resolve a budget shortfall of up to two million dollars, and with requirements to make up that shortfall now in place, there have been cutbacks made at many of the campuses across the Northwest.
Council may be a day or two late to try and reverse the electrical program decision by NWCC, but by seeking further information, they at least have the opportunity to send a shot across the bow of the college administrators that they will remain watchful for further reductions at the Prince Rupert campus.
Update: The Northern View examined the issue on August 3rd with details as to the reason for centralizing the program from the college's perspective as well as further information on the Mayor's thoughts.
Northern View-- Electrical Apprenticeship program no longer offered at Prince Rupert NWCC campus
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