Northwest Community College Connections

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.

Coastal Log Scaling course trains next generation

MASSET – With the steady rebirth of BC’s forestry and logging industries comes a renewed demand for skilled forestry workers, and Northwest Community College (NWCC) continues to lead the way in providing industry-specific training and certifications to meet these growing demands.

Thanks to an investment in workforce training by Taan Forest Ltd. and support from other local logging companies, NWCC is offering a Coastal Log Scaling course on Haida Gwaii for the first time in its history.

Eight students are enrolled in the course, which is running in Masset on weekends from May to October. The Coastal Log Scaling course prepares students for the Coastal Log Scaling exam which will be administered by the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations in October 2011. This is the first time that the Log Exam has been offered on the coast since 2006.

“The economy has had dramatic effects on the coastal logging industry in recent years. Locally, there are signs of improvement in the economy with the increase in logging activity,” says instructor Lawrence Musgrave. “Presently, there is a demand for Coastal Log Scalers, and especially as much of the work force moves towards retirement.”

Log Scaling plays an important role for government, industry, and other parties. It determines the volume of timber harvested and the quality of that timber. Scaling data is used to invoice the forest industry for stumpage and to administer the annual allowable cut.  The Coastal Log Scaler is the key to providing a meaningful and accurate scale for these purposes.

“The forestry industry on Haida Gwaii is in a process of renewal, as it seeks to operate in an environmentally sustainable way while still competing in a global market place. NWCC is committed to supporting this renewal, and part of that process involves training the next generation of skilled forestry workers here on-island,” states Ken Leslie, NWCC Director of Education - Haida Gwaii. “A strong partnership with local industry has afforded us this opportunity to offer the Coastal Log Scaling course in Masset, and we are grateful for that support.”

Taan Forest Ltd., a Haida-owned business of the Haida Enterprise Company, has the responsibility of overall management of a substantial holding of the future forest harvesting on Haida Gwaii with the core objectives of sound sustainable forest management and improving the overall employment opportunities and benefits from the forest sector to the Haida people and all communities on Haida Gwaii.

Student jobs available for upcoming 2011 census

The 2011 census is staffing 35,000 jobs across Canada.
If you are over 18 years old and can commit to at least 20 hours per week including evenings, weekends and holidays, apply now.

Rates of pay ($14.72 to $18.04 an hour) vary by assignment. The work period is early March to the end of July 2011, depending on assignment.

Please tell friends and family about opportunities to work on the census. Visit the 2011 Census website for more information.

To download and submit an online application, click on the Apply now graphic (left).

For more information about this opportunity, contact:

Sarah Miller
Communications Officer
Statistics Canada
email: [email protected]
tel: 604-658-8202 

Haida Gwaii gets new director of education

HAIDA GWAII – Northwest Community College (NWCC) has hired Dr. Ken Leslie to the position of Director of Education, Haida Gwaii effective Jan. 31. Dr. Leslie comes to NWCC from the Psychology department at the University of Victoria and brings to his new position valuable experience with community outreach and grants.

Dr. Leslie is passionate about Haida language revitalization and preservation. He has worked with the Haida in Masset, developing language learning stop motion animated movies to support Haida language learning in that community. His Haidawood blog shows some of the fascinating work that has come out of these projects.

“Haida Gwaii is a magical place, the environment is beautiful and amazing,” said Dr. Leslie. “And Haida culture is so rich. The people I’ve worked with there were so open and welcoming.”

He says his first order of business in his new role will be to meet with the different communities on Haida Gwaii and to assess the existing educational programming and its connection with the local culture and environment.

“I am most excited to develop innovative and supportive learning that will suit learners that are there and that will also attract off-island learners,” added Dr. Leslie. “I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity.”

Dr. Leslie's current research interests include early childhood music education, second language learning, and cross cultural psychology. He has undergraduate degrees in Systems Design Engineering and Psychology from the University of Waterloo and completed his PhD in Neuroscience at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in Cognitive Neuroscience at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

“Northwest Community College is pleased to welcome Ken into this key role at our campuses on Haida Gwaii,” said Cathay Sousa, NWCC Interim President. “His experience and education are vast and impressive but equally important is his obvious passion for Haida Gwaii and its culture. We feel he is a perfect fit.”

NWCC has three campuses on Haida Gwaii – one each in Masset, Village of Queen Charlotte and the Haida Heritage Centre at Kaay Llnagaay in Skidegate.

NWCC campuses take a holiday recess

Northwest Community College (NWCC) campuses will be closed to the public during the upcoming holiday season, though the hours differ from campus to campus.

Please see what hours and days each campus is affected:

Note: All campuses will be closed by 1PM on December 24.

Hazelton Campus – closed to the public from 3pm December 24 through January 3 inclusive. Regular campus hours resume January 4, 2011.

Houston Campus – closed to the public December 25 through January 3 inclusive. Regular campus hours resume January 4, 2011.

Haida Heritage Centre at Kaay Llnagaay – closed to the public December 17 through January 3 inclusive. Regular campus hours resume January 4, 2011.

Kitimat Campus – closed to the public from 1pm December 24 through January 3 inclusive. Regular campus hours resume January 4, 2011.

Masset Campus – closed to the public December 17 through January 3 inclusive. Regular campus hours resume January 4, 2011.

Prince Rupert Campus – closed to the public from 3pm December 24 through January 3 inclusive. Regular campus hours resume January 4, 2011.

Village of Queen Charlotte Campus – closed to the public December 13 through January 3 inclusive. Regular campus hours resume January 4, 2011.

Smithers Campus – closed to the public from December 25 through January 3 inclusive. Regular campus hours resume January 4, 2011.

Terrace Campus – closed to the public from 3pm December 24 through January 3 inclusive. Regular campus hours resume January 4, 2011.