Calgary students will have more opportunities to pursue career education as three new collegiate programs are set to open up this academic year.
On Tuesday, the Alberta government announced that it will provide $64 million in funding over three years to develop collegiate programming across the province. The goal, according to Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, is to enhance career education in Alberta while allowing students to pursue their passions and preparing them for post-secondary education.
“We’re working together with schools, communities, post secondary, partners and industry to make sure that we’re able to offer a wide range of exciting and rewarding learning opportunities for students, while collegiates are just one part of the career education equation that already exists in our education system,” Nicolaides said at a news conference in Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
“One thing remains constant, more collegiate schools mean more students exploring pathways between high school and careers or post secondary education again, giving them a head start on their educational journey and a competitive edge on the job market.”
Three of the seven new collegiate programs in the 2024-2025 academic year will be based in Calgary. This includes the Calgary Board of Education’s (CBE) Digital Pathways Collegiate co-developed with the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), which will allow students to explore technology-focused careers in a hands-on environment. This includes programming, robotics, engineering, animation, photography and web development.
Around 190 Grade 10 students have enrolled in the program and students may be able to participate in dual credit opportunities as they progress through to Grade 12, the CBE said.
“Calgary is quickly becoming a technology hub and is leading innovation in the technology field. Alberta’s labor market research shows strong demand for technology jobs now and into the future,” said Nancy Close, vice-chair of the CBE’s board of trustees.
The Calgary Catholic School Division (CCSD)’s Our Lady of the Rockies Collegiate School will open in January 2025 and will provide programs related to science, engineering, aviation and business. Lory Iovinelli, vice-chair of the CCSD board of trustees, said the collegiate program will partner with SAIT and Olds College in Olds, Alta. to provide dual credit courses and off-campus education opportunities.
“We are thankful to Alberta’s government for their continued investment in our students futures. These New Collegiate programs will not only enrich our educational offerings, but also strengthen our communities by preparing a skilled, capable workforce ready for ready to contribute to Alberta’s growing economy,” Iovinelli said at Tuesday’s news conference.
“We look very forward to the near future where we may share personal success stories because of this government’s commitment to Alberta students and the collegiate schools. Not only are career pathways being chartered, they are being well paved.”
Fusion Collegiate, a public charter school in northwest Calgary, will also have new programs in digital transformation technologies, skilled trades, business, animal and health sciences, and entrepreneurship.
Janet Welch, vice-president academic at SAIT, said it is important to encourage students to pursue post-secondary education and consider careers in skilled trades. The post-secondary institution partnered with the CBE and CCSD to develop collegiate programs, including six programs dedicated to the skilled trades.
“For students, choosing a career in the trades is more than just securing a job. It’s a gateway to fulfill to a fulfilling and prosperous future. Trades offer stable, well paying careers that provide long term security and satisfaction in a world where many industries face uncertainty, the trades offers a dependable path to success,” Welch told reporters Tuesday.
