Northwest Community College Connections

Drill core shack donation brings new training opportunity to NWCC

SMITHERS – Northwest Community College's (NWCC) School of Exploration & Mining (SEM) will be able to offer Drill Core Technician training at remote work sites and on contract thanks to the donation of a portable core shack and equipment.

NWCC SEM is grateful to its industry partners Callinex Mines, Canadian Helicopters, Cyr Drilling and UTM Exploration for their matching $4,550 donations, along with generous in-kind donations from IRL Supplies and Castle. Dave O'Leary, NWCC Vice President of Institutional Advancement, says he was very impressed by the collaborative nature of the donation.

"This is a perfect example of industry working together to support the training that is needed to address the severe skills shortage in our region," O'Leary said. "The donors are to be commended for their innovation and cooperation."

The new training tool will support SEM's experiential, hands-on training model. The core shack is essentially a portable classroom, allowing SEM to offer Drill Core Technician courses anywhere, from NWCC campuses to remote locations and exploration camps.

The first offerings of the Drill Core Technician Basic Training course are just weeks away with one cohort at NWCC Hazelton Campus from March 15-20 and a second one at NWCC Houston Campus from March 28 to April 2.

"The School of Exploration & Mining team is keen to take our training out to our neighbouring NWCC campuses in Hazelton and Houston," said Tony Harris, SEM's Employment Advisor & Industry Liaison. "This is a great opportunity to put our new equipment to use and show our industry partners just how valuable it will be for our students."

Harris adds that Northwest area students will benefit from this generous donation and the specialized, job-ready training it enables because they won't have to leave their communities, saving them time and money. The course provides students with the practical skills required to observe, measure and record information from drill core. Upon graduation, students be able to process and safely handle core boxes, how to operate and maintain a core-splitter, and the correct procedures for handling samples.

Harris says SEM grads are highly employable in an industry known for high wages, strong benefits and regular work schedules.

Provincial and federal employment forecasts show the mining industry and its support activities will grow by 3.5 per cent a year with 12,600 new job openings in the sector between 2007 and 2017.

Since its inception in 2004, SEM has graduated more than 850 students and 83 percent of SEM grads either found work or returned to school. Through workforce training for the exploration, mining and natural resource industries, NWCC SEM seeks to build capacity and engagement in communities involved with minerals exploration and other resource development. By bringing the training to communities, SEM overcomes some of the barriers that learners face in remote locations.

NWCC hosts Hoobiyee celebration

TERRACE – Northwest Community College (NWCC) hosted a celebration and information session today over the lunch hour for Hoobiyee, the Nisga'a New Year that marks the beginning of the harvest season.

 

Open to all students and staff, about 45 people came out to NWCC Terrace Campus Waap Galts'ap for free soup and fried bread and a presentation led by guest Caroline Daniels from the First Nations Education Centre with Coast Mountains School District 82. Daniels shared her insight as to what Hoobiyee is and where it will be celebrated this weekend. She shared a song about Hoobiyee and had students participate in the dancing of the song. Each crest was represented in the dance.

 

For more info on Hoobiyee celebrations this weekend, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school students get a temporary taste of college campus life

PRINCE RUPERT – From now until the end of June, Northwest Community College’s (NWCC) Prince Rupert Campus will become a downtown home base for a Grade 9 class from Charles Hays Senior Secondary that’s embarking on a unique educational experience.

The class of 28 students and their instructors are attempting to learn—literally—outside the box.

For the mornings, they will call the NWCC campus home, while working under the theme of Urban Development and Community in the City of Prince Rupert. Mike Russell, Charles Hays vice-principal and the project coordinator, has been talking to community members who will mentor students and help them create a framework that allows them to collaborate in groups and create a project which attempts to address a local problem. The Grade 9 class will do so while also meeting the Ministry of Education IRP (Integrated Resource Packages) outcomes.

Russell says he and his fellow instructors believe that local relevance and personalized instruction will encourage deeper critical thinking and give students the skills needed to thrive in today’s workplace.

Wendy Prystay is Manager for NWCC's Prince Rupert Campus. She says the College is pleased to partner with Prince Rupert School District No. 52 by providing the classroom space and that both parties look forward to a productive and enriching semester for the students.

"This is a very innovative approach to learning and School District No. 52 should be applauded for encouraging its students to take a much more analytical view of their community," said Prystay. "We have the opportunity to expose 28 students to the College and the school district has a downtown home base for its innovative program."

School District No. 52, NWCC and various business people will be mentors to the program.

NWCC grads’ all-round excellence gets recognized

TERRACE – Two Northwest Community College (NWCC) students now studying at the University of Northern British Columbia are among 100 deserving winners of a $5,000 Ike Barber Transfer Scholarship from the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society. 
 
The scholarships are awarded annually to undergraduate students who have completed two years at a public post-secondary institution in BC and are transferring to another degree-granting institution in the province to complete their degrees. Courtney Berdan and Scott van Dyk are the NWCC recipients this year.

Berdan completed an Associate Degree in Science at NWCC and has transferred that credential to the Integrated Science Degree program at UNBC in Terrace. Keeping very busy during this winter semester, Berdan continues her studies at NWCC, completing her requirements for an Associate Degree in Arts – Archaeological & Cultural Resource Management Specialization and the Environmental Geoscience Specialization of the Associate Degree in Science.

A resident of Smithers for the last three years, Berdan says she practically stumbled into post-secondary studies. She was going to take a First-Aid course when her curiosity was piqued by a University Credit (UC) course being offered at NWCC Smithers Campus. The course was Anthropology of Religion and, according to Berdan, it was really good. She was hooked on academia.

Not only has Berdan embraced post-secondary education, she has flourished. In order to be considered for the Ike Barber Transfer Scholarship, undergraduate students must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 or 87.5 per cent for 54 credits completed and have demonstrated service to their school and/or community to receive the $5,000 scholarships.

Berdan has returned to Ontario, where she’s from, each summer for the last 10 years to work at a kids’ camp. As for her career goals, Berdan has a simple, yet undefined goal: “I want to play outside and I want someone to pay me to do it!”

NWCC Business Administration diploma program graduate van Dyk, meanwhile has transferred his NWCC credential directly to third year of the Bachelor of Commerce degree program at UNBC in Prince George. Van Dyk excelled academically during his two years at NWCC, which included a six-week exchange program to Qingdao, China in spring 2011. With a stated career goal of being a federal politician, van Dyk has logged plenty of volunteer time linked to his ambition. These include volunteering with the BC Youth Parliament, Model United Nations, Universities’ Model Parliament and an Adventures in Citizenship program with Rotary International in Ottawa. He has also worked as an election campaign volunteer at the municipal and provincial level.

Thanks to the scholarship, van Dyk says he’s been able to travel and compete in the JDC West Business Competition in Edmonton—which his UNBC team won—and a few Western Canadian University debate tournaments in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
 
The scholarships are funded from the returns on a $15 million endowment established by the province in 2006. The fund is named after the founder of Slocan Forest Products Ltd. who is a philanthropist who has donated generously to education and research projects in British Columbia.
 
“I'm so pleased that our government is able to partner with the Irving K. Barber B.C. Scholarship Society to enhance the experience of our students by giving them this opportunity to further their studies and share experiences,” said Naomi Yamamoto, BC Minister of Advanced Education.
 
The Irving K. Barber BC Scholarship Society works in partnership with the Victoria Foundation to manage a series of scholarship and education award programs that support B.C. students attending public post-secondary institutions both throughout the province and outside the country. To date, the society has awarded more than $3.5 million in scholarships.

Donation a win-win for NWCC students

NWCC student Annie Lee, right, has Noelle Bulleid to thank for a surprise gift basket.

 

TERRACE – The Northwest Community College (NWCC) Student Food Bank received a welcome donation of $143 thanks to a donation from the College's legal counsel.

Bruce Grist of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, donated a basket full of mouth-watering snacks to be raffled off at the Terrace Campus.

And while the money raised will go toward feeding needy students, one NWCC student got a nice surprise when a ticket purchased in her name was drawn as the winner.

Annie Lee, a first-year student in the Northern Collaborative Baccalaureate Nursing Program, claimed her surprise winning thanks to the generosity of Noelle Bulleid, NWCC's Residence Life Facilitator. Lee is one of Bulleid's Residential Advisors, overseeing one of the residence buildings at the Terrace Campus.

Paula’s Blog: How to become a bridge between hearing and Deaf culture

Brooke Sproule just spent a month on a practicum at Northwest Community College as a Sign Language Interpreter. She worked closely with First Nations Fine Arts Diploma student Paula Wesley, an NWCC student blogger.

The dialogue between the two talking with hands

PW:  Hello. I’m Paula. What’s your name? How are you?
BS:  I’m Brooke Sproule. I’m good, thanks.

PW:  Welcome to my hometown Terrace, I hope you are enjoying your stay!
BS:  Oh yes, I am loving this whole experience!  I didn’t expect Terrace would have such breathtaking views. The mountains, river, forests and all the snow is amazing!

PW:  What did you expect when you first came to NWCC, Terrace Campus?
BS:  I had no idea what Terrace would look like, how the experience at the college would be. I am being mentored by one of the professional Sign Language Interpreters who works here and before arriving, she explained a little bit about the small community of Terrace, as well as the college. It is cool to be in such a small, friendly community where everyone knows each other and waves when they pass by.

PW:  Yep, that’s right.
BS:  I really love it here!

PW:  How has the past four weeks been for you? Is it nice to get a more hands-on experience? Do you like working with the two different programs: First Nations Fine Arts (FNFA) and the Criminology Specialization program?
BS:  In the Criminology program, with the other student, it is a classroom setting with more of a formal approach compared to FNFA. With the FNFA classes, I notice that on some days it was casual, yet challenging at times. In order to be successful, I have to do prep before arriving to class, such as reading textbooks and gathering information from each instructor. This way, I am fully prepared to interpret for each class.

PW:  (nodding)
BS:  It as been an interesting experience at NWCC as I have been learning about three different cultures and backgrounds.  I have learned to observe people and try to match their character and personality traits. Sometimes, accents are difficult to follow but I do my best so I can sign or voice accurately. I have really enjoyed interacting and learning more about Deaf, hearing and First Nations culture.

PW:  If you wouldn’t mind, you could explain what Classifiers (CL) means in American Sign Language?
BS:  Classifiers are different hand shapes, which represent nouns and verbs. CLs are used to describe the locations, kinds of actions, size, shapes and manner. In the FNFA class, I noticed that we use a lot of CLs for describing or interpreting carving techniques, drawings and paintings. I use CLs because they are more visual for you, especially when it comes to describing hands-on projects. I have to know various names of the carving tools, native vocabulary and different cultural things like where to carve with precision etc… and what words are often used in class. I find this challenging to learn pronunciation of native vocabulary and learn the new signs that have already been established by you. I have also asked some of the Elders from class on how to pronounce native words properly.

PW:  Do you find it easy or hard to interpret for someone with a sense of humour?
BS:  Oh yeah… interpreting humor is a big challenge for me. Deaf and hearing humour are very different. For example, I have to try and interpret a joke for a 60-year-old man; look at me! I am a 20-year-old woman trying to match a man’s style of speaking, which is kind of funny. I have learned a lot from being here but I am still challenged by the concept of interpreting humour and will continue to grow and develop.

*laughing*

PW:  This is funny for sure. I can imagine that it is a lot of work to learn so much in such a short period of time.
BS:  Yes, this is a very unique and rich learning experience for me. I have had to work hard in order to learn all of the vocabulary and other things for both of the programs.

PW:  So do you feel that you have learned something from your experience up north that you will be able to carry on in your education? I bet you are probably one of the only people in your program that gets to experience the rich culture here on the campus in Terrace, B.C.
BS:  I have really enjoyed working with the students, as well as the communication access team.  Each person has their own style of speaking and communication with each other. I feel I have improved in many different areas.

Before coming to Terrace I did some prep by reading books on First Nations culture in order to learn a little and have an idea of what to expect. I really respect all the cultures and I am so grateful to have developed my skills by interacting and interpreting with everyone. As interpreters, it is important to respect one another and work as a team.

PW:  Right! Do you feel that you have benefited from the hands-on experience at the College?
BS:  Oh definitely! It is nice to finally get out of the classroom and into the ‘real world’. I feel like the College has really supported me and feels like a family. I feel connected with the College because just like your class, you have a family because of the small size; back at my school in New Westminster we also have small classes. I have notice and appreciated how Terrace and NWCC is such a tight-knit community. And I feel so supported and welcomed.

PW:  Do you think you could describe a bit about the IEP?  What does it stand for? How long does the program take?
BS:  IEP stands for Interpreter Education Program and it takes two years to complete the program.

PW:  I have heard that before entering the two-year program that usually students have to take a 10-month program at Vancouver Community College. Did you have to do this?
BS:  No, I actually got to skip that 10-month program because I grew up with a Deaf sister, so I was able to challenge the program and got accepted. The program is very difficult to get into. At Douglas College, we have to learn how to interpret, learn how to sign fluently as well as learn about ethics and boundaries.

PW:  One last question; what made you decide to become an interpreter?
BS:  Well, as you know, my sister is Deaf, so that got me interested. But the other reason is my fascination with the language and lifestyle. When I was 7 years old, Amanda (the professional interpreter here at NWCC) came and stayed with my family for one of her practicums. I immediately created a friendship with her and she became my role model. I have learned so much from this experience and everyone is so great. It is my goal to become the best interpreter I can be and I am so grateful to have had this four-week placement at NWCC.

PW:  I think this is it. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences in life!

 

Biography of Brooke Sproule: I grew up in a small town in the Okanagan (Oyama B.C.). At a young age I decided that I wanted to become a sign language interpreter through the influence of my younger Deaf sister. I moved to Vancouver to take the two-year program of Sign Language Interpretation at Douglas College. This intensive program includes three, four-week long practicums. I have been up here in Terrace for the past four weeks working and learning about the interpreting process. I have enjoyed my time here and look forward to my next two practicums in Vancouver, then Texas! Thanks everyone for the support!

 

I very much enjoyed meeting and working with Brooke.  It feels like she only arrived two days ago and it’s already been a month!

Paula Wesley is NWCC's newest full-time student blogger! Currently a second-year First Nations Fine Arts student at NWCC's Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, Paula's mother is Coast Salish from Chilliwack, her father is Tsimshian from Port Essington. Born in 1976 in Terrace, BC, where she currently resides, she says she's inspired by the art of her people and creates art to continue what her people started long before her, "to express my cultures and represent our people through art."

Over the fall and winter semesters, she'll be giving her take on student life at NWCC. We're excited to see and read her posts and encourage you - the college community - to follow along.

Participation in NWCC Priority Planning makes another iPad winner

NWCC's Regina Saimoto, left, with prize winner Charlotte West.

 

SMITHERS – Charlotte West is the latest community member to receive an iPAD thanks to taking part in Northwest Community College's (NWCC) Priority Planning sessions in late 2011 that sought input from the public on what kinds of programs and services should be offered at the College over the next five years.

NWCC President, Dr. Denise Henning and the Priority Planning Research team held 15 community forums throughout NWCC's region and participants were invited to enter a draw to win a coveted iPad.

West joins previously announced winners Sharon Oskey of Prince Rupert  and Linda Poznikoff of Houston.

Seen receiving her prize from Regina Saimoto, NWCC Campus Prinicipal for Smithers and Houston, West says she's excited to explore her new gadget.

"I'm excited to play with my iPad2," she said. "Finally, I have more technology than my children!"

NWCC thanks everyone who participated for their enthusiasm and passion for post-secondary education in the North. Your input is invaluable and serves as the backbone of NWCC's Together This Way Forward 2012-2017 Priority Planning report, which will be posted on NWCC's website sometime this year.

 

 

Playground coming to Port Clements thanks to NWCC student’s initiative

NWCC Early Childhood Education student Colleen Beachy is well on her way to bringing a playground suitable for children under the age of five to this open space in Port Clements.

HAIDA GWAII – Northwest Community College (NWCC) student Colleen Beachy is riding a wave of positive momentum in her bid to bring a playground to the Haida Gwaii community of Port Clements.

A student in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program, Beachy is taking initiative after she saw a need in her community for young children under the age of five.

"When I was in my practicum, we had the children outside to play a lot,” said Beachy. “I really saw the importance of outside time for the kids."

Despite being a busy student, Beachy began to ask around, research playgrounds and sought the support of the local school district and Port Clements Elementary School, where she is a noon-hour supervisor. She knew there was a big empty space on the property of the new multi-purpose building in Port Clements and thought since it was in a neighbourhood with families and young children, it would make for an ideal location. Before she knew it, she had learnt about a funding opportunity with Success by Six, she had a received letters of support and the idea was, as she put it, “snowballing.”

Her application to the Success by Six grant was approved for $4,600. Beachy didn’t stop there. She then applied to the school PAC (Parent Advisory Council) and received a further $2,000. The determined student has since applied for a third government grant for $12,000 and, if successful, she plans to ask the Gwaii Trust Society—a fund established to advance economic diversification and sustainable development on Haida Gwaii—to match her funds.

Jessica Hrechka Fee, ECE program Coordinator and Professor, says she’s been awed by Beachy’s determination to meet a need she identified for the betterment of her community.

“She saw a need in her community for young children and she put her learning into action,” said Hrechka Fee. “Being a student did not limit her, but encouraged her. It is inspiring to see our students put learning into action in their communities.  Colleen is a passionate advocate for the early years and she is showing it!"

The bigger picture, adds Hrechka Fee, is that the community of Port Clements can see the role of college students and Early Childhood Educators and, eventually, children will have age appropriate play space in the community.

Christines Blog - Lets talk about it

THE RECENT Bell Mobility commercial was an awareness campaign about depression which got me thinking about society and depression. I recently got a hold of some statistics on Terrace which talked about how much money we made our crime rates, education and graduation rates, to how much booze we’ve consumed. When you compared BC statistics to Terrace, well things weren’t looking so good. We have very high suicide rates in the North and need to do something about it.

Personally, I suffered from a very bad depression for years. I didn’t graduate because of it, and in a sense you could say I lost years of life because of it. The only reason I can give credit to being here today is because of my parents and I have a lifetime to thank them for this.

I am very comfortable now talking being depressed and encourage anyone going through it to try and do the same. It has taken me years to recover, with multiple relapses, hardships, many mistakes and tons of soul searching. In the end I have never felt better and am actually thankful for what I went through because in a sense I feel like I have a second chance at life.

I have learned lots in this life. I have learned to surround myself with good, positive people. I believe in a healthy mind and healthy body and taking steps every day to make sure I am doing my best to look after myself. The truth is simple, I’ve stopped trying to be someone that people want me to be and started just being myself. I’ve accepted that it’s fine to have silence in a conversation. I’ve learned that my comfort zone doesn’t get me anywhere, and I get so much more out of leaving it. I’ve learned to stick up for myself. I’ve learned its okay to ask for help.  I’ve accepted that I’m socially awkward around lots of people, but its okay because I’m also fabulous around others.

I have cleared my head and begun focusing on what I need to. I have goals; both short and long term and I feel invigorated every day. I still wake up some mornings with the urge to be sad. But now I am able to give my head a shake and tell myself that won’t get me anywhere, and I want to do fabulous things in this life. My depression, for me, was a blessing in disguise and I am thankful it has shown me what I don’t want in life so I am able to focus on what I do want and let me tell you, I am going to do amazing things.

But most importantly I’ve learned I wasn’t the only one with depression, and its everywhere we look. If you are suffering, know there are options. Your first step to getting better is talking to someone and finding out what options you have. Or if you know someone who is depressed, and they say they are, don’t tell them they’re not. Listen to them and try to help them find the help they need. With six degrees of separation and one small planet, we are all in this together. So let’s start talking…

Christine Leclerc is NWCC's first ever full-time student blogger! She's a second-year Business Administration student in Terrace who took part in a study exchange to China earlier last year. Over the fall and winter semesters, she'll be giving her take on student life at NWCC. We're excited to see and read her posts and encourage you - the college community - to follow along. She's looking forward to getting your feedback and maybe some inspiration, too, throughout her blogging experience. And in case you're wondering, that's her beloved English bulldog Maddox

NWCC to be Trades central in early March

 TERRACE – The Northwest region's next generation of skilled trades people will converge on Northwest Community College (NWCC) in early March as the Terrace Campus hosts the Skills Canada NWBC Regional Skills Competition.

The competition features three streams, one for post-secondary, one for students in high school and one open to elementary and junior high school students. The post-secondary and high school students will compete in five individual competition categories: carpentry, welding, automotive repair, professional cook and electrical wiring.

The Junior Skills competition, with Gravity Vehicle and Spaghetti Bridge contests, is open to students in Grades 6-9. All junior events are team events and teams can be made up of three to five students who may be in different grades.

"We are very proud to be hosting this event," said NWCC Dean of Trades Margo Van der Touw. "The Skills Canada NWBC Skills Competition encourages excellence for the next generation of trades people and,most importantly, it is good, friendly competition."

Competitions provide a forum for pre-college students to develop and showcase their technical skills. And while the competition is for fun, the rewards are potentially great. On the line for the competing secondary school-aged students are prizes and places for category winners to advance to provincial-level competition. Winners at the BC level could go on to compete at Nationals or even the World Skills event held bi-annually!

With so many young people interested in Trades already on campus for the Skills Canada NWBC event, NWCC will host a Trades Career Fair, a public event from 9am to 4pm. The fair will offer everything you ever wanted to know about Trades careers. Experience hands-on skills demonstrations, try our Heavy Equipment Operator simulators, meet with industry representatives and potential employers, take campus tours and enjoy a free barbecue lunch prepared by NWCC Culinary Arts students.

"There's never been a better time to pursue a career in Trades, especially here in the Northwest," said Van der Touw. "You can get the skills you need at NWCC to take advantage of the big projects coming to the region. Be sure to visit the Trades Career Fair on Friday, March 9."

The secondary school level group is open to any Northwest student attending a secondary-level school at any time between July 1, 2011 and March 9, 2012. Competitors must be less than 22 years old on Dec. 31, 2012.

Registration for secondary level and post-secondary level competition categories for the Skills Canada NWBC event is now open. Register online at www.skillscanada.bc.ca

Skills Canada British Columbia is a provincial, not-for-profit organization that works with employers, educators, associations, labour groups and government to promote skilled trade and technology careers to youth.

NWCC thanks Seabridge Gold (major sponsor), BC Hydro, Progressive Ventures, Ridley Terminals, Maher Terminals, Imperial Metals, Kitimat LNG/ Apache, Bechtel Canada/Rio Tinto Alcan, and Enbridge Northern Gateway for their sponsorship of both events.