New opportunity is being brought to the Peace Region with Grande Prairie Regional College getting polytechnic institution status starting in the 2021-22 school year. The change comes with the provincial government’s Alberta’s 2030: Building Skills for Jobs strategy.
The polytechnic status in Alberta gives institutions the ability to offer apprenticeship education along with degree, diploma and certificate programming. GPRC currently offers apprenticeship classroom instruction in 13 programs, with total capacity of more than 1,300 seats. The college has two campuses; the main one in Grande Prairie and the other in Fairview. The Fairview campus offers veterinarian, trades and apprenticeship programs and the only Harley-Davidson training centre in Canada.
GPRC’s Interim Vice-President of Academic and Research, Dr. Vanessa Sheane says there’s a possibility for new programming coming the the Fairview Campus. “With our trades and animal health programming already there, the polytechnic status allows us to enhance what we have, expand and look for new opportunities.” said Sheane.
Sheane used to reside in Fairview and says GPRC is putting together an advisory council for Fairview. “We are looking at the community needs and supports that are there to grow our programming on campus.” Sheane says they are looking for community members that live within the town or MD, and aiming to have their first meeting in June. The online form for the Fairview Community Advisory Council can be found by clicking here.
With the transition of the college becoming a polytechnic, GPRC will be changing it’s name. GPRC’s Vice President of External Relations, Cherene Griffiths says in the coming months they will unveil the new official name. “The announcement sparks the conversation, so we are looking at how to move the process forward and talk with the community, students and staff.” Even if it is just idea generation and then working with the board on the new name, Griffiths is excited to see what arises from conversations.
Griffiths is hoping there can be big celebration for the college changing over to a polytechnic. “Obviously with public health measure’s in place, something in-person would be great!” This announcement is more than a celebration, but to listen to our region in their needs and wants in education Griffiths noted.
The institution has put forward a proposal to offer the Bachelor of Computing Science degree program for program approval review, the review is ongoing.
-Erika Rolling, Trending 55 Newsroom
