Wednesday, September 27, 2017

NVIT keeps eyes on North for next campus location

While Northwest Community College continues to explore the introduction of a new name and embrace an international focus, another British Columbia educational institution is looking North as part of its ongoing expansion ambitions for the delivery of post-secondary education.

Nicola Valley Institute of Technology recently announced some new program options in the Burns Lake region, and with those plans NVIT officials have been making the media rounds of the Lakes Country to share how the North could be the next area to see an expansion from the Merrit based trades training institution.

While Burns Lake is more aligned with the College of New Caledonia in Prince George, as opposed to NWCC's geographic reach, the focus that NVIT directs towards First Nations educational opportunities and an expansion on trades training opportunities, could provide a lure for students from all communities from Haida Gwaii to Prince George.

Beyond the latest course opportunities for Burns Lake, the longer range plan could see NVIT looking for a permanent home somewhere in northern British Columbia, with Burns Lake and Tumbler Ridge just a few of the communities that have been taken note of that blue print from the Merrit home campus.

We outlined some of that ambition in March, observing as to the growing interest in the North from the institution and how the City of Prince Rupert might want to explore any interest in having NVIT look to the North Coast as a potential permanent destination

Those plans from NVIT still seem a bit off in the future, but should they make a move into the north, the introduction of an additional educational institution and the range of courses that they would have to offer could have an impact on NWCC and its education delivery programs in the region.

Some background on the current course options in Burns Lake, current issues on education and the future plans for NVIT can be found below:

New programs offered this year in Burns Lake through NVIT
NVIT training to be offered in Burns Lake
NVIT set on establishing Northern Campus
Education is dividing Burns Lake residents
Burns Lake BC continues to pursue campus of NVIT


More notes related to post secondary education in the Northwest can be found on our archive page.

No comments:

Post a Comment