INside ..

The Douglas College Newsletter

  

@ New Westminster Campus, David Lam Campus & Thomas Haney Campus

Centre 2000: Bridging the

Jap

Thirty years ago, finding a good
job without a high school
education was routine, and
specialized training was only for
those looking for a professional
career. But times have changed.
Jobs are harder to find, and the
labour market is extremely
different from what it used to
be, with people changing
careers frequently and
employers demanding more
specialized skills from workers.

How can Douglas College
respond to the growing market
in adult retraining? One way is
the development of more
effective linkages between
Centre 2000 and the credit-
granting side of the College,
allowing the experts in both
areas to work together more
closely.

“Integrating Centre 2000 gives
us a better opportunity to bid
on government training
contracts that in the past have
gone to the private sector,” says
College President Susan Witter.

Clark
announces
freeze

Speaking to students and
employees in the Douglas
Room on March 26, Premier
Glen Clark announced that
tuition fees at post-secondary
institutions will remain frozen
for a fourth year. Other
provincial post-secondary

“Eighty-five percent of today’s
working adults will still be in
the workforce 15 years from
now. Many of these people will
need retraining to keep or start
new jobs as the labour market

shifts.”

Since opening in 1993, Centre
2000 has built strong links to
the community, as well as
strong partnerships with other
educational institutions and
private trainers. Centre 2000 is
also responsive to labour
market changes, researching the
market and developing
programs to meet demand.

“We've almost tripled our
training contracts in the last
two and a half years,” says
Centre 2000’s Director Bob
McConkey. “When we bid on a
contract we ask ourselves three
things: is the program
appropriate to the College, do
we have the capacity to deliver
in the College with existing
instructors, or do we need to

utilize external expertise in

development and delivery? The
increased linkages with the rest
of the College allows us to take
the expertise available in the
College out to the market.”

Centre 2000’s Program
Managers Cathy Griffin, Julian
Gardiner and Graham Hill are
presently working with or
discussing potential contracts in
several areas of the College.
One example where integration
has begun is the Resident Care
Attendant Program. Working
with Health Sciences,
Developmental Studies and
Prior Learning Assessment and
Recognition, Griffin headed a
pilot project for the program,
certifying attendants with many
years experience but no
credentials.

For more information on
Centre 2000’s services and
programs, see the insert in this
newsletter or call Maxine
Madden at 5216/5848. For

more information on the

increased linkages, call Bob

McConkey at 5169/5802.

 

education commitments include funding for 2,900 new student spaces, a $7.7 million increase in
student financial assistance and an additional allocation in recognition of increasing costs for
institutions.

“Our commitment to improving access to post-secondary education is part of our goal to diversify and
strengthen BC’s economy,” said Clark. “A well-educated and highly skilled population is critical not
only to our economic success but our goals as a modern society.”

iS

Douglas College

  

And the winner is ... Douglas College!

 

Douglas College has been awarded the Health and Safety
Award in the Educational Institutions category in the 1998
BC competition of the North American Occupational Safety
and Health (NAOSH) Week activities. Accepting the award for
the College from NAOSH Week steering committee President
Rempy Johal (far left) are Douglas College's Health and
Safety Coordinator Sandy McKinley (centre) and Site Services
Manager Pat Thomasson (right).

Work-study submissions
needed

Each year, Douglas College is allocated a work-study budget from
the Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology.
This program provides part-time employment (5 to 15 hours per
week) to full-time students. Students may be employed at Douglas
College, or off-campus with a non-profit organization.

Students must qualify on the basis of financial need. Eligibility is
determined by the Financial Aid Office, after the assessment of each
student’s Canada Student Loan/BC Student Loan and the
information provided on the work-study application form.

Project submissions are now being accepted for one-time (non-
repeating) projects that will be in addition to the normal on-going
activities of the department. The projects should provide students
with opportunities to develop career-related skills. Work-study
application forms are available at either office of student
employment services, room 4602 (New Westminster Campus) or
room A1040 (David Lam Campus).

The deadline to submit project applications for the Fall 1999
semester is Monday, May 3, 1999. Project applications received
after that date may be considered for the Winter 2000 semester,
which starts in January, 2000.

 

Quote of the Month

"The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge

to throw a snowball."

Doug Larson