News

Message from Jim Reed - President, BC Colleges

Happy New Year and welcome back!

BC Colleges is off to a busy start in 2013. Much of the news this month focuses on how our 11 member colleges are collaborating with others and how colleges are preparing to meet labour market demands. Notably, CNC and the ITA are working together with Babine Forest Products to ensure workers have an opportunity to gain the necessary skills for apprenticeships. A free 19-week training program is slated to begin at the end of January and will include: essential skills, job readiness skills and several industry certifications. Plus, our colleges are reaching out to communities both near (North Island College is offering English courses in Tofino and Ucluelet) and far (College of the Rockies is working with rural Kenya to prevent maternal deaths).

There is a continued focus on regional issues with the University of Northern British Columbia, College of New Caledonia, Northwest Community College and Northern Lights College continuing their joint work as part of the Northern Post-Secondary Council and the Northeast is developing a Skills Planspecific to that region.

In 2013 colleges will continue to work to meet labour market needs. To this end, Okanagan College  and Vancouver Community College received funds for trades training equipment. Many of the more than 1 million jobs openings predicted for 2020 will be in the trades.

And, industry continues to support our colleges. The Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) donated $10,000 to CNC to help support students interested in a career in mining. And, at Okanagan College Peter Haubrich, one of the region's recognized champions of high-tech, research and innovation, will be working with the college to capitalize on partnership and research opportunities afforded by the Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Conservation.

The New Year brings new appointments. Langara College has announced the appointment of Dr. Ian Humphreys as its new Vice-President, Enrolment and Business Development and the Camosun College Board of Governors has announced the appointment of a new Board member, Mr. Ian Cowan.

Read on to learn more about the projects, collaborations and announcements from our 11 member colleges. For a full list of this month's news,  please check out  "In the News" on the BC Colleges website. As always, I welcome your feedback, you can reach me by e-mail.

Sincerely,
Jim Reed, President BC Colleges

James Loney:  Peace Activist and Former Iraqi Hostage Speaks at Shambhala Music & Performance Hall
Selkirk College Media Release, January 16, 2013

The Mir Lecture Series presents James Loney at the Shambhala Music & Performance Hall in Nelson on Friday, February 8th. In November 2005, Loney and three other men were captured by armed gunmen and held hostage in Iraq.  Loney was part of a delegate from Christian Peacemaker Teams – an organization that sends activists trained in nonviolence to conflict zones in order to reduce violence.   The four were in Iraq in order to work with local organizations on humanitarian projects, to support local peace and human rights work, and to raise awareness back home about the human rights abuses being perpetrated by the American-backed war in Iraq.    “We are very happy to have James Loney be part of the Mir Centre for Peace Winter Lecture Series.  He brings a personal story that is very inspiring” says Randy Janzen, Chair for the Mir Centre for Peace at Selkirk College. Read more.

NIC Offers University-Level Literature Courses in Tofino and Ucluelet
North Island College Media Release, January 15, 2013

Join NIC instructor Drew Burke for two first-year English courses in Tofino and Ucluelet this year. Drew shares his knowledge of great writing at the Ucluelet Centre and Darwin’s Café in Tofino in two university-level literature courses. Known locally for his work with SBC Surf, and as co-founder and editor of The Roundabout magazine and the online Tofino Collective, Drew shares his passion for ideas in stories, poetry, and drama. Read more.

Haubrich joins Okanagan College to leverage research and partnership opportunities
Okanagan College Media Release, January 15, 2013

Peter Haubrich, one of the Okanagan’s recognized champions of high-tech, research and innovation, will be working with Okanagan College over the next several months to capitalize on partnership and research opportunities afforded by the Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Conservation. Haubrich, whose curricula vitae includes leading the Okanagan Research and Innovation Centre and helping set up several successful research labs for major electronics companies, will be on contract with the College. Read more.

What is student engagement? Douglas Vice President Blaine Jensen's take
Douglas is Here Blog, January 14, 2013

When I  think of engaged students I think of people who perceive themselves as active participants in learning and discovering: they feel emotionally invested in their learning and activities. When someone is actively seeking learning opportunities they are usually excited about their new knowledge, and that shows through meaningful interaction with faculty, staff, friends and peers. Read more.

Funding for new trades training equipment at VCC
Vancouver Community College Media Release, January 11, 2013

Learning a new trade -- just like learning to play hockey -- requires the right equipment to meet your goals. On Jan. 11, the B.C. government announced an investment of more than $1.4 million in new skills training equipment at VCC including a backhoe loader, wheel alignment station and a dozer for the trades department.“This provincial investment…will ensure students are training with the same caliber of equipment their employers will be asking them to work with after graduation," said John Yap, minister of advanced education, innovation and technology. Read more.

COTR Helps Rural Kenya Prevent Maternal Deaths
College of the Rockies Media Release, January 3, 2013

Entitled MAISHA for ‘Maternal Access and Infant Survival for Health Advancement, this project will work in two needy regions in Kenya with funding assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency.  MAISHA responds to a Kenyan government request for DKUT to take a leadership role in national health care services. According to the World Health Organization at least 536,000 women and two million babies worldwide die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth every year. The statistics are even gloomier in developing countries like Kenya where the risk of death for newborns is six times greater than in Canada. Read more.

Canadian Institute of Mining donation hits $40,000 mark
College of New Caledonia Media Release, December 21, 2012

The Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) donated $10,000 to CNC on Friday to help support students interested in a career in mining. The donation makes CIM’s total contribution $40,000.  A total of $36,000 will go into an endowment fund, which will continuously generate scholarships and bursaries. The remaining $4,000 was handed out last year and this year as eight awards worth $500 each. “We have had a very good year and were able to increase our donation to $10,000 instead of the $5,000 we had promised,” said Christy Smith, Manager of Community and Aboriginal Affairs Taseko Mines. Read more.

Langara Business Students Partner with MADD Virgin Drinks
Langara College Media Release, December 16, 2012

Students in Langara’s School of Management (LSM) completed a unique project this term, just in time for the holidays – creating advertising campaigns for a new range of non-alcoholic beverages by MADD Virgin Drinks (MVD). The partnership saw eight student groups work on integrated, multi-platform advertising plans to promote MVD’s new line of “virgin” wine, champagne, and cocktails. The products were launched this year to provide a socially responsible alternative to alcoholic beverages and to raise funds (10% of net sales) for Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) – making the line especially relevant for the upcoming holiday season. Concepts created through the student campaigns were then considered for further development by MVD. Read more.

Camosun Board of Governors welcomes business developer Ian Cowan
Camosun College Media Release, December 14, 2012

The Camosun College Board of Governors is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Board member, Mr. Ian Cowan. "Camosun will be well served through the wide range of skills and experience brought by Mr. Cowan," says Chair Kyman Chan. "His strong connections to the international community and past experience in advanced education will give him invaluable insight into the vital role Camosun plays. We are very fortunate to welcome him to the Board." Ian Cowan was born in Ottawa. He completed post-graduate degrees in mathematics and physics. His career experience includes: General Electric, IBM, Royal Canadian Air Force, McGill University, SAIT Polytechnic, National Oil MWE, and Priddis Consulting Services. Read more.

Northern Post-secondary Council
Northwest Community College and Norther Lights College Media Release, December 13, 2012

Northern Post-secondary Council — University of Northern British Columbia, College of New Caledonia, Northwest Community College and Northern Lights College: Collaborating for success in Northern B.C.

Four post-secondary institutions in Northern B.C. in partnership with the Province of British Columbia’s Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology reaffirmed their commitment of working together to provide access to high quality education in support of a growing economy that will help advance people’s opportunities to live and prosper in the region.  All four presidents and ministry officials gathered at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George this afternoon to sign the terms of reference and strategic framework allowing for a third five-year term of this collaborative arrangement between these institutions in Northern B.C. Read more.

Skills Training Plan for the Northeast Identifies Gaps, Offers Action
Northern Lights Media Release, December 8, 2012

The Northeast region of BC is undergoing an exciting period of major economic activity—in sectors like natural gas and mining, billions of dollars in investments are being made in projects across the region. This is generating significant opportunities for the people of the Northeast, especially when it comes to job creation. Making sure that people in the region are fully qualified and able to work on these projects will be critical to our collective economic success. Read more.

BC Colleges is a consortium representing BC’s 11 public, community colleges serving almost 200,000 students annually with campuses in over 60 communities throughout British Columbia. BC’s colleges offer a comprehensive range of programs from university studies and baccalaureate degrees to career, technical and trades education. All of BC’s colleges offer programs that are designed to be accessible, affordable and responsive to the evolving needs of BC communities and industry. For more information, visit our website .