The Alberta government is taking full credit for its dual-credit and collegiate investment coming from Budget 2025.
Alberta’s Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced the new funding for dual credit courses and collegiate programs at a media availability in Calgary on Friday.
If Budget 2025 is approved, the government will invest upwards of $100 million over the next three years to expand career education programs for Alberta students.
Included in that investment is $21 million allocated to Alberta school boards to refurbish and build new collegiate learning spaces. These spaces can include carpentry workshops, film and media rooms, science laboratories and heavy equipment simulators.
The government is also providing $6 million for newly established startup collegiate programs. A collegiate program is done in partnership with a post-secondary institution and industry and created as a specialized path in a particular subject or field, offering a clear pathway into post-secondary education or a career. It can be a public, separate, francophone, charter, or independent school program.
As of now, applications for collegiate schools are under review, with an announcement set to be made in the coming weeks. The approved programs would begin in September 2025.
Budget 25 also includes $4.6 million to be used for enhancing dual credit programs. Dual credit programs allow students to earn both high school and post-secondary credits. Nicolaides said that since 2013, 95,000 students in Alberta have participated in at least one dual credit course.
“I am confident that Budget 25 investments will help connect more students to career education opportunities,” Nicolaides said.
Beginning in September, both Our Lady of the Rockies and St. Mary’s high schools will be offering dual credit courses for Calgary’s Catholic students.
“At Our Lady of the Rockies, students can engage in industry design and technology collegiate pathway, which is grounded in technology while also offering exploration and the skill trades,” said Lory Iovinelli, vice-chair for the Calgary Catholic School District.
The new collegiate program at St Mary’s High School is expected to open in September.
“Students enrolled in the biotechnology collegiate pathway will be able to enhance their knowledge in health services,” Iovinelli said.
“Funding for student learning in the collegiate program is a no-risk investment.”
The education minister said that there were funding limits for dual credit and collegiate programs, but was unable to provide detailed figures.
“I think there’s about $2 million that’s available as part of the dual credit,” Nicolaides said.
