A year full of internal, provincial and industry investment into their dual-credit programs is paying dividends for both the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD), with some arguing returns have even proven to be a little too high.
According to CBE trustee Susan Vukadinovic, some parents have wondered whether the CBE has the space in these programs to allow all students interested to access the trades.
“I spoke with a parent a few months ago who said her daughter wanted to get into welding, but the program is so popular that there was a waiting list,” she said during the Dec. 16 CBE Board of Trustees meeting.
“I’m wondering, when it comes to dual credit apprenticeship and our career exploratory courses, is our capacity in these innovative programs meeting the need, or is the demand greater than the available spots?”
Similarly, after investing over half-a-million dollars of internal and provincial cash into their dual-credit programs for the 2025-26 school year, the CCSD has seen a more than 100-student increase in dual-credit program enrolment, a number expected to exceed 250 once summer 2026 programming concludes.
Pre-employment is also increasing, both in students and programs, with seven programs this year, up from five last year and enrolment increasing to 26 students from 12.
Increasing programs has to financially responsible: School Boards
CBE Superintendent of School Improvement, Mike Nelson, admitted that the board is strapped for dual-credit placement.
“We have lots of students that are interested, and we continue to provide more seats and opportunities. But I do have to be honest that we are not always able to meet all of the needs that students want certain pathways,” he said.
“Our team works very diligently to see what other opportunities are there for the students. We create wait lists just like we would for alternative programs and if a student moves or is no longer interested, we get the next ones involved into that program.”
The board has partnerships with various post-secondaries, including SAIT, Bow Valley College, Olds College, the University of Calgary and University of Alberta, Nelson said. It’s a list that should only increase, along with student program interest.
“We’re very fortunate to follow those partnerships and we continue to want to grow them,” he said.
In late November, the CBE and EducationMatters announced a $260,000 dual-credit investment from Suncor through its Energizing Youth initiative.
CCSD program availability is influenced by several factors, a statement from them reads, including staffing capacity and available seats and funding. Many CCSD dual-credit programs are delivered in partnership with other school authorities, with post-secondary institutions often deciding how many student placements are available.
CCSD offers dual-credit opportunities through partnerships with Bow Valley College, Olds College, Lethbridge Polytechnic, SAIT, the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary.
The district applies annually for provincial dual-credit grants. Like other Alberta school boards, dual-credit funding is also provided by the school authority, requiring CCSD to carefully balance enrolment growth, program expansion, improved student access and long-term program sustainability, according to the statement.
Early returns prove beneficial for CCSD students’ future outlook
Though early, dual-credit programs have led CCSD students to become more aware of career possibilities and pathways available after graduation, according to the statement.
“CCSD is seeing more student placements in internships through programs such as pharmacy assistant and veterinary technician assistant, which often lead to employment following graduation. In addition, partnerships with organizations like CAREERS are supporting transitions from pre-employment programming into apprenticeship placements, allowing students to begin accruing hours toward their first year of apprenticeship,” the statement reads.
The district is actively working with post-secondary partners and the province to formally track completion rates, credentials earned and post-program transitions.
Like any non-core program, CCSD dual-credit programs are fluid, with the district regularly reviewing all programs, supports and services to ensure fiscal responsibility, improvement and to ensure students’ diverse needs are supported.
