EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Government of Saskatchewan’s 2021/22 budget provided post-secondary institutions (PSI) funding certainty over the next four years. The multi-year investment in our sector is unprecedented. It provides our institutions stable funding in an uncertain social and economic environment and strategically focuses on becoming financially sustainable. North West College’s (NWC) 2021-2024 Business Plan is based on innovation and providing students’ access to quality programs/services that will lead to learner success, long-term labour market attachment and career achievement in anticipation that we will remain under a State of Emergency in the near future. As institutional preparedness for the health and safety of our staff, students and community remains a primary focus, all program and course plans in at least 2021/22 will continue to operate in a controlled blended environment for staff and students. All program/service plans will adhere to our established Exposure Control Plan. This plan is continuously updated/amended to remain in alignment with the principles set out by the Government of Saskatchewan, the Ministry of Health through established Public Health Orders, the Ministry of Advanced Education, the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, the Regional Colleges Act, the guidelines of the Association of Saskatchewan Regional College (ASRC), and our institutional partners. In addition to the above-mentioned principles, the College will ensure all College operations will be in alignment with Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan (2020-2030) 1 (SDG), the Ministry of Advanced Education 2021/22 Plan 2 as well as the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training 2021/22 Plan 3. Preparing our 2021-2024 plan was challenging given the uncertain times in which we continue to operate. As a result, NWC’s Board extended its 2018-2021 strategic plan for an additional year. The College will continue to focus on the following four themes: i) ii) iii) iv)
Building an Employable Labour Force. Fostering Student Success. Developing NWC into a College of Choice, and Cultivating a High-Performance Organization.
Recognizing that the impacts of the pandemic have not been equally evident across all areas of the province and country, NWC conducted a thorough labour market assessment at the local, provincial and national levels. Based on our findings, the major industries (pre and postpandemic) in our region include health care, retail trade, public administration, education, accommodation and food services, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, tourism, finance and insurance, construction, and oil and gas. Other areas of consideration are artificial intelligence, remote automation, cybersecurity, environmental protection, and geographic information
Government of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan – The Next Decade of Growth 2020-2030, https://publications.saskatchewan.ca/api/v1/products/103260/formats/114516/download
1
Ministry of Advanced Education, Plan for 2021-22, https://publications.saskatchewan.ca/api/v1/products/112414/formats/126400/download
2
Ministry of the Immigration and Career Training, Plan for 2021-22, https://publications.saskatchewan.ca/api/v1/products/112414/formats/126409/download 3
NORTH WEST COLLEGE
Page 4 of 79
2021-24 BUSINESS PLAN
