Northwest Community College Connections

NWCC vehicle fleet gets critical addition thanks to donation

Ready to roll: NWCC Facilities and Maintenance Foreman Brian Coverdale with the newest addition to NWCC's vehicle fleet, the Emergency Transport Vehicle. The van, purchased with the donation from Callinex Mines, will support programming from the College's School of Exploration & Mining based out of Smithers.

TERRACE – Northwest Community College (NWCC) has used a generous donation from Callinex Mines to purchase an Emergency Transport Vehicle (ETV) that will support and enhance the mobile, field-based training offered by its Smithers-based School of Exploration & Mining (SEM).

"Northwest Community College's School of Exploration & Mining specializes in relevant, field-based training that replicates real work conditions and teaches skills needed by industry," said Tlell Glover, Project Administrator with SEM's Workforce Exploration Skills Training (WEST) program. "Replicating these field-based conditions means having all the health and safety nets that are standard practices in the industry. This donation is a huge boost to NWCC's abilities to offer field-based training for the minerals and natural resources industries."

Dave O'Leary, NWCC Vice President of Institutional Advancement, says the Callinex Mines donation toward the purchase of the ETV demonstrates the partnerships that have been created between NWCC SEM and industry.

"Strong relationships with industry ensure that SEM training remains nimble and reflects the changing needs of industry and communities," said O'Leary. "It also puts NWCC SEM in a unique position to provide students with a bridge between training and employment. Many industry partners recognize the strength of NWCC SEM graduates who are skilled to quickly and seamlessly transition into the workforce. It's a model for employment training that has been recognized nationally."

O'Leary adds Callinex Mines has been a strong supporter for NWCC SEM training, and has recently been recognized as one of four main sponsors for the purchase of NWCC SEMs mobile teaching lab, which will enable remote delivery of the drill core technician basic training course, among others.

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.

In partnership with Smithers Exploration Group and the Province of BC, SEM develops industry-related courses and programs, and offers training in various areas of mining and exploration. Since its inception in 2004, the school has graduated more than 850 students, and 83 percent of grads have either found work or returned to school.

Through workforce training for the exploration, mining and natural resource industries, Northwest Community College’s School of Exploration & Mining seeks to build capacity and engagement in communities involved with minerals exploration and other resource development.

NWCC is new home for BV Learning Centre

 

Stephen Lockwood, vice-principal with the BV Learning Centre and Regina Saimoto, principal of the NWCC Smithers Campus are hopeful having the learning centre at the NWCC campus is win-win collaboration.

—From the Interior News June 13 edition By Percy Hebert

The Bulkley Valley Learning Centre is moving into new digs.

Beginning next September, students attending the Bulkley Valley Learning Centre will be taking their classes at the Northwest Community College campus in Smithers in a dedicated classroom and office space for the staff.

“From the college’s perspective we are very excited to have the Bulkley Valley Learning Centre join us here,” Regina Saimoto, NWCC Smithers campus principal, said.

Saimoto identified several reasons why having the BV Learning Centre students attend classes at NWCC was a good idea.

First, Saimoto said having learning centre students on campus makes for an easier transition for the students deciding to further their education at NWCC.

Another benefit of having the learning centre students on campus, Saimoto said, is it strengthens the connection between NWCC, School District 54 and the community as a whole.

“We also hope it will foster a positive learning environment for the students in the learning centre,” Saimoto explained.

“I think integrating services between different service providers in the community is a good thing, collaboration is always a good thing and this is an example of a positive venture.”

The move is also a win-win situation from the school districts perspective.

“We’re taking advantage of an opportunity available at the college,”  Stephen Lockwood, Vice-Principal of the Bulkley Valley Learning Centre, said.

Having the learning centre at NWCC has several advantages from the school district’s point of view, Lockwood said.

One advantage is the proximity of the NWCC to the Smithers secondary school.  The few blocks separating the campuses means students at the learning centre wishing to take a course at the secondary school have just a short walk to make compared to the learning centre’s present location on Fulton Avenue.

There are also pedagogical advantages to having the learning centre located at the NWCC campus, Lockwood said.

The potential for mentorships with NWCC staff as well as everyday opportunities for the learning centre students to interact and observe positive role models such as the NWCC staff and students  is tops on Lockwood’s list.

“The mentorships are an important part of this,” Lockwood said.

“Particularly for students that don’t fit in traditional classrooms.”

Other opportunities for learning centre students include utilization of some of the specialized spaces at NWCC such as the laboratories.

Also, students from the learning centre often take part in various programs such as ACE IT, EMAP and Environmental Assessment and Monitoring programs, Saimoto said and the move to the NWCC just makes it easier for students to take part in such programs.

The move to NWCC, however, won’t include all of the students enrolled in the learning centre.

“The younger students won’t be following us to NWCC,” Lockwood said.

In fact, Lockwood said, education outside of the regular school curriculum wouldn’t be available to Grade 8 or 9 students, rather they will attend regular classes at Smithers secondary school.

“It would be tougher for the younger kids to adjust to the college environment,” Lockwood explained.

“We have the best interest of the kids in mind and their specialized learning needs can be better met at the high school.”

NWCC hosts conference and art show to help and highlight local artisans and natural resources

—News release courtesy SNCIRE, with files from NWCC

TERRACE – Northwest BC artisans who work with natural materials will gather in Terrace at the end of this month to learn from industry experts how to succeed in the art world.
 
Beyond Lumber - Art from Nature conference and art show will take place Friday, June 29 and Saturday, June 30 at Waap Galts'ap Longhouse at Northwest Community College's (NWCC) Terrace Campus.
 
"This event is a tremendous opportunity for all artists of the Northwest to get together to learn, network and be inspired. I'm definitely not going to pass up this opportunity to learn new skills and gain knowledge from a great group of inspiring folks and speakers," says carver and painter Rod Brown.

Carol Young Bagshaw, a 2011 NWCC graduate from the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, agrees. She's looking forward to networking with artists and clients, learning from other participants attending the workshops and having a venue to show her work.

"I consider myself very successful at selling my work; however, there is always something new to learn and I enjoy sharing my own experiences," said the Prince Rupert-based Haida artist.

On Friday, artisans from throughout the region will participate in various workshops such as Working with Galleries, Marketing your Work, Photographing your Work and Business Start-Up. At lunch, keynote speaker Alano Edzerza, a young and successful Tahltan artist who grew up in Terrace, will speak about his journey to becoming a professional artist.
 
Edzerza runs a gallery in Vancouver and has his own line of sportswear which features northwest coast art, Edzerza Sports. His portfolio includes creating large scale installations and designing the Dutch team's uniforms for the 2010 Olympics.
 
Edzerza's presentation is open to the public as are a salmon BBQ and the Beyond Lumber art show opening that night from 6 to 8pm. On Saturday, artists will display their art and give demonstrations and talks about their work and experiences. Edzerza will speak again as will Tim Strang, marketing director for Hill's Native Art in Vancouver. Everyone is welcome.
 
Beyond Lumber is being organized through a partnership between the Skeena-Nass Centre for Innovation in Resource Economics (SNCIRE), Skeena Diversity Society and Northwest Community College.

Inspiration for the event comes from the idea that supporting Northwest BC artists is just one of many ways to help diversify the region's economy and make it more sustainable.
 
"Sometimes a single tree is worth much more when it is used to produce high quality art than when it is milled for lumber," says SNCIRE Executive Director Rick Brouwer. "By focusing on high value products such as art first and commodities second, we are taking better advantage of our natural resources, and that is key if our region wants to escape the boom and bust cycles."

This is the first year this event will be held and it's expected to become an annual or biannual celebration.

For more info go to www.beyondlumber.ca

Registration deadline for the conference and keynote lunch is Tuesday, June 26, 2012.

NWCC pedals its share for BC Bike to Work Week

TERRACE – The results have rolled in and Northwest Community College (NWCC) put in a strong showing for the 2012 version of Bike to Work Week, a provincial initiative from Bike to Work BC.

NWCC was one of 32 teams to register in Terrace for the May 28 to June 3 event, one of three teams with 51 or more members (employees). The other categories had teams from groups or organizations of 21 to 51 members and 10 or fewer.

NWCC had 19 cyclists sign up and over the five weekdays of the event, those 19 cyclists went car-free for 45 of a possible 95 trips, totalling 167 car-free kilometres. The group that stood out above all the rest was the BC Timber Sales team calling themselves the Kispiox Gear Jammers. Just 31 team members logged an impressive 542.5 kilometres!

The total tally for Terrace was:

• Registered Teams 32
• Current Total Cyclists 125
• Current New Cyclists 29
• Total kms Cycled 3378.8

The local coordinator for Bike to Work Week was Chris Gee, an NWCC instructor in the Social Service Worker program.

Check ou the full team results for the Terrace Bike to Work Week event here.

NWCC journey comes full circle for 1979 grad

NEW AIYANSH – You just never know when a Northwest Community College (NWCC) graduate will really come in handy. That's exactly what happened to a group of visitors to the Nass Valley from NWCC for the recent Challenging the Paradigm 2012 gathering.

The group took in an enriching day trip to the valley and the recently opened Nisga'a Museum in Laxgalts'ap but bus problems threatened to tarnish the day and delay the group's return for a conference-ending dinner and cultural dance presentation.

Enter Helmer Grandison, owner/operator of Diversified Automotive & Towing since 2000 and a 1979 NWCC grad in Automotive pre-apprenticeship, now known as Automotive Service Technician Foundations. And as the name of his company suggests, through years of hands-on experience and further training, he has become a skilled journeyman mechanic.

When the bus could not be started, it was Grandison that NWCC turned to. "I had to check out the electrical system on the bus," he said. "I'm quite familiar with this kind of bus, the engine and electrical system."

He also readjusted the rear air brakes and in short order, Grandison had the bus running again, a small but significant payback of sorts for the role NWCC played in his life.

"It was the first time I was away from home (New Aiyansh)," said Grandison of his experience at the Terrace Campus some three decades ago. "It was great, it was very fulfilling and I met a lot of new friends. It was an experience."

After graduating, Grandison would spend the next 20 years working in the Nass Valley and in Prince Rupert gaining the experience he would need to go out on his own. And along the way, he's come back to NWCC too. The biggest change in auto mechanics since 1979 is the growth of computer systems in cars and Grandison has come back to NWCC to upgrade his computer analysis skills. He also returned to earn his air brake ticket and enrolled in a computer class to get some of the basic non-mechanic skills he'd need in his business.

Grandison says there are very few mechanics in the Nass Valley and probably only one other one—his brother—who has the expertise the visiting NWCC group required that day. He says the call was a surprise to him but it's all in a day's work for a mechanic in the Nass Valley.

"In my normal day, I get calls late at night and early in the morning," said Grandison. "That's why I call myself Diversified (Automotive & Towing)."

Thanks is also owed to others who helped that day—Earl Munroe, Director of Maintenance at New Aiyansh Village Government, and Leonard Moore and Graham Mackenzie.

NWCC is a valuable community asset impacting the lives of students and our communities. Through its nine campuses, 500-plus employees and an annual injection of more than $30 million in the local economy, NWCC is an economic engine supporting the many communities that look to us to provide innovative programs and services.

NWCC students earn national awards

TERRACE – A half dozen Northwest Community College (NWCC) students have been awarded 2011-12 scholarships from Indspire, a national charitable organization formerly known as the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (NAAF).

The deserving winners from NWCC are:

Evelyne Fowler, Terrace – $1,500 to complete a one-year Applied Business Technology program at NWCC (pictured with NWCC President Dr. Denise Henning, right).

Cecilia Morgan, Prince Rupert – $1,300 to continue in the second year of a three-year University Credit - Associate of Science Degree program at NWCC

Theresa Quock, Terrace – $1,200 to complete a one-year Automotive Service Technician Foundations program at NWCC

Kelvin Robinson, Terrace – $500 to complete the final year of a two-year First Nations Fine Arts program at NWCC

Lee Russ, Masset – $800 to complete the final year of a two-year First Nations Fine Arts program at NWCC

Robert White, Prince Rupert – $2,800 to complete the final year of a two-year First Nations Fine Arts program at NWCC

NWCC strives to keep its students in tune of any and all applicable financial awards and bursaries, which facilitate access to post-secondary education and act as an incentive for student excellence.

Robinson, a Nuxalk originally from Bella Coola on BC's central coast, used his award to help pay for his diploma year in the First Nations Fine Arts program at NWCC's Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art. Robinson recently celebrated his graduation from the program, which he says has been a life-changer.

"I feel like with what I have learned in the First Nations Fine Arts program, I am really just finding myself," said Robinson. "I'm discovering the purpose of the art."

Robinson adds the skills he acquired at the School will serve him well in his goal to become a respected artist on the Northwest Coast.

Indspire has evolved into the largest non-governmental funding body for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis post-secondary students across Canada. Based in Ontario, Indspire is described as being dedicated to raising funds to deliver programs that provide the necessary tools for Indigenous peoples, especially youth, to achieve their potential. In total, Indspire has disbursed over $49 million to 14,000-plus recipients since its inception and offers financial assistance (scholarships and bursaries) through four major categories: Post Secondary Education, Fine Arts, Health Careers, and Oil & Gas Aboriginal Trades & Technology.

Pictured above is NWCC President Dr. Denise Henning, centre, flanked by two 2011-12 Indspire scholarship winners, Robert White, second from left and Kelvin Robinson, second from right. With them are Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art instructors Ken McNeil, far left, and Dean Heron, far right.