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Enrollment up at Northern Lakes College
Theresa Seraphim
For Spotlight
Bad times for the economy will mean good times for Northern Lakes College this academic year, as enrollment is up in many programs.
Power engineering, university studies, academic upgrading, health care aide and teacher assistant are some of the programs experiencing an upsurge.
Brad Hestbak, senior director of external relations, said the college has experienced an 18 per cent jump over the same period last year, with 1,354 students declaring their intentions to study this year as opposed to 1,151 at this time last year.
Hestbak cautioned the numbers could change, but it is still good news for the college. He said the current economic climate has much to do with the figures.
“When jobs aren’t plentiful, people reconsider their educational opportunities,” he said.
Hestbak also credited the college’s marketing efforts, as well as the fact that two new campuses – in High Level and Peace River – are opening this fall.
“That has added to our numbers as well,” he said.
Hestbak mentioned certain programs that seem to stand out, in terms of enrollment.
The power engineering program has 30 more students, while the teacher assistant program will have 28 more part-time students and 40 more full-timers.
This year, 30 additional students will enroll in the health care aide program, versus eight at this time last year.
“University studies is another program which has seen significant growth,” with 40 more students, he said.
The province helps fun the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program, designed for teachers in the North. Students in that program take University of Alberta education courses at the college, said Hestbak.
But the biggest increase may be in academic upgrading, which is up by approximately 70 students.
“That’s one of our bread and butter programs,” said Hestbak.
He said the college’s offering of tried and true programs, as well as new innovations, has helped make it attractive to students, and because of that, they will be ready when the economy recovers.
“This is a good way for our communities to rebound.”
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