Enrolment numbers are strong at Port Alberni’s North Island College (NIC) campus for the 2017/18 school year.
“Here at the Port Alberni campus, we’re seeing a really big increase in our university studies courses which are courses that fully transfer to universities across the province, including the University of Victoria and VIU,” said Lisa Domae, vice president of learning and students at NIC. “We’re seeing a particularly big jump in math and science courses here too.”
New programs to the college this year include a community mental health worker program, that’s in partnership with the Nuu-chah-nulth nation, that will prepare students to work with people who have mental health challenges.
In addition, a wildfire crew training program is now available that will teach students core skills and techniques to supress fires and how to seek employment as a wildfire fire fighter in B.C. and Alberta. This course offers tuition-free options for eligible students.
Adult Basic Education courses are now tuition free after the NDP government restored funding for Adult Ed and English language courses last month.
Enrolment in these courses took a dip after tuition was implemented several years ago, but Domae believes numbers will increase again with the nix to tuition.
Domae encourages folks to check out the campus at anytime.
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