The gymnasium at BCSS was a busy place on Monday afternoon as student recruiters came from universities and colleges across the province to present a Post Secondary Institution Day where students and their parents could have their questions answered face-to-face.
According to BCSS Career Councillor Pam Storie, each year a number of colleges, universities, trade schools and the Canadian Armed Forces come to present information to students who are interested in careers, scholarships, applications for housing and program requirements.
All students from Grade 10 through 12 take part but participation is a graduation requirement for Grade 12 students because a portion of their mandatory transitions package is based on information they receive at this session.
“Every bit of research they do will help when they come to another decision later in life that will open doors for them,” explained Storie. “Whether it is for trades, university, college, or the arts.”
UBCN student recruitment officer Dennis Stark said their Prince George campus—nicknamed Canada’s Green University—makes it a perfect marriage with their environmental programs. He added that the small class sizes at UNBC allow students to shape their learning experience.
Selkirk College’s Amy Kinakin defined her institution as a local and regional college with over 60 programs to choose from one-year certificates to two-year diploma degrees and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They are also known for their aviation programs. Close to home, Selkirk is a good choice for Boundary students. She invites prospective students and their families to attend an open house at their Castlegar Campus on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
Representing Okanagan College was Cassandra McFarland who explained the four campuses (Vernon , Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Penticton) offers studies in arts and science as well as a Bachelor of Nursing program. She said many students complete their first two years at OK College before transferring to university for their third and fourth years. OK College is hosting a career fair on Sunday, Nov. 3 from 10:30 to 3 p.m. at their KLO campus in Kelowna.
Trinity Western University was represented by Amy Alexander who introduced the school as a liberal arts and science university. The only Canadian institution to have received an A+ from the Globe and Mail over the past seven consecutive years.
She described TWU as a place where people know your name and get to know who you are; and you get to discover what you want to get involved with so that when you graduate you will not only get a job but a job that will help make a difference.
Claire Wilson is a student recruiter for Simon Fraser University. She said SFU offers flexibility with over 100 programs to choose from students can explore what they are passionate about as well as prepare themselves to be unique candidates in the job market when they graduate.
Thompson Rivers University sent student recruitment co-ordinator Kyri Alves from Kamloops to say this postsecondary campus has 10,000 students studying everything from single course skill and knowledge upgrading to two-year diplomas to full degrees, all the way to professional disciplines such as their law school.
University of Victoria’s Claire Clarke defined her school as a top-ranked, mid-sized, world-class facility with the world’s largest underwater observatory and the world’s largest microscope yet small enough to have a close-knit community with class sizes averaging 35 students over four years. She said that life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
Last, but certainly not least; smallest, but by no means inconsequential—Soraya Jung came from Quest University College in Squamish.
Quest began as the brainchild of former UBC president David Strangway. Strangway has succeeded in creating a university where, with a maximum of 20 students per class, the student-teacher ratio is better than the Canadian national average of 30 to one.
Quest opened in 2007 with 73 students and today boasts 540, with a maximum of 650. Another unique aspect at Quest is the “block plan” where students take only one course at a time, each lasting 3-½ weeks.
One of the information tables popular with many male students was that of the Canadian Forces.
UBC held a recruiting day at BCSS a few weeks ago.