APPENDIX A to BRIEF FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF NORTH ISLAND COLLEGE
2012 Pre-Budget Consultations
Proposed North Island College Natural Resources Education and Applied Research Centre
Vision
North Island College (NIC) is proposing the development of a Natural Resources Education and Applied
Research Centre that will support economic development in the North Vancouver Island region and, in particular, within the 36 First Nation territories that exist within this region. It is proposed that this Centre will:
o serve as a focal point for the development of natural resources related training programs aligned with workforce development and localized training needs e.g. First Nations educational needs;
o work to develop partnerships with local industry to investigate innovative products or product applications that enhance production or result in the commercialization of new products; and
o work to establish partnerships with First Nations groups that support treaty settlement agreements through development of viable education alternatives for remote communities.
Rationale
North Island College currently provides a full range of programming that includes academic upgrading, certificate, diploma, degree, post degree diploma and trades foundation and apprenticeship training. This complement of programming provides a solid base of educational options that serve a broad spectrum of educational and workforce development needs. While this base of educational programming is essential for developing and maintaining a core of skilled personnel in the North Island region it doesn’t fully address the specific education and workforce development needs of natural resources industries currently operating and/or developing in the region.
There is a need for North Island College to provide programming specifically linked a number of natural resources based Industries. For example, there is a need for the following industry related training:
o Timber/Product Management
o Mineral Exploration
o Mine Operation Technology
o Woodland Harvesting
o Road Building
o Silva culture
o Restoration Stream Management
o Shell Fish Occupational Skills
o Fisheries Management
o Aquaculture Technology
o Water Management
o Alternate Energy (e.g. solar, bio-mass, geo-thermal, tidal) Technology
o Energy Retrofit Technology
o Sustainable Energy Assessment and Management
o Green Building Technology
o Alternate Energy design
o Value Added Business Management
While these programs require industry specific training, a large amount of the training required can be adapted or built on existing trades, biology and other science or technology courses offered by North Island College. In addition, it is anticipated that selected alternate energy and natural resources based curriculum can be acquired through partnership with other BC post-secondary institutions or post-secondary institutions across Canada. Primarily there is a need to partner with local industry to design and develop training programs that meet their specific labour development requirements in the Campbell River and Mount Waddington region.
Financial Support for Centre Development
It is proposed that seed funding for the Natural Resources Education and Applied Research Centre is sought from natural resources industries operating or planning to operate in the north island region served by North Island College. Funding will also be sought from First Nations groups and the provincial and federal government. Funding received for the purpose of supporting development of the Natural Resources Education and Applied Research Centre (NREAR) will be held in a designated purpose account by North Island College. These funds will be allocated at the direction of the NREAR Centre Steering Committee to advance the development of the NREAR Centre.
Resources will initially be allocated to hiring a Centre Coordinator, on a contract basis, who will work with the Vice President Education to establish operating principles and guidelines for the Centre, to obtain additional grant funding and to identify industry, First Nations and local municipal governments training and research needs. The Centre Coordinator will also work in collaboration with the North Island College Director Continuing Education and Training to gather information regarding curriculum required for “Industry specific” training programs tailored to meet local needs.
NREAR Centre Steering Committee Development
A Steering Committee will be developed comprised of college, industry, local government and First Nation representatives. The Steering Committee will responsible for setting short and long term priorities for the NREAR Centre and regularly reviewing accomplishments related to the priorities on a six month basis. Industry, local government and First Nations representation on the Steering Committee will be reserved to organizations providing a minimum $10,000 initial general operations contribution to the Centre. Organizations that provide a financial contribution for a specific training or research purpose will be provided the opportunity to be directly involved in the design and implementation of this activity.
Centre Location and Management Structure
The Centre will be located on the North Island College Campbell River Campus. The majority of training and research activities will take place at this site. Temporary space may be leased in other locations to meet specific industry, First Nations or local government training needs. Research activities may also take place off site as required when working in partnership with local industry, government or First Nation groups to achieve specific applied research or commercialization goals.
The NREAR Centre will be under the direct administrative authority of the North Island College Vice President Education. A Coordinator will work under the direction of the Vice President Education to build a partnership network and obtain grant funding and industry contributions that contribute to the Centre operation and implementation of specific training and/or research projects. The Dean of Trades and Technology, Director of Contract and Continuing Education, Director of Aboriginal Education and other administrators or faculty with directly related expertise will work with the Vice President Education to serve as a Management Committee that will oversee the day-to-day operation of the Centre and guide development of the Centre in conjunction with the Steering Committee. Instructional and research faculty will be hired on a contract basis, as funds become available through specific projects. These faculty members will work under the supervision of the appropriate College Director or Dean, based on the nature of their instruction or research project in which they are involved.