Student and Employer Supports

University 2021/22

Battlefords Campus – General Studies Meadow Lake Campus – Bachelor of Education Year 4

College Total 2021/22 Business Plan 2020/21

Program Projected Enrollment Classes FCE Registrations FLE

9 4 108 10.8

6 5 180 18

15 9.5 288 28.8 21 10.5 294 29.4

Student and Employer Supports

NWC helps to support a strong economy by investing in students and supporting their success, not only in programs of study, but also in long-term labour market attachment. NWC has an innovative workforce engagement strategy to ensure students build skills that employers are seeking, obtain practical workplace experience, make sound career choices and connect to employment. Our Student Services teams play a vital role in attracting, retaining, and graduating students and connecting them to the labour force. The College is revitalizing the workforce engagement strategy in light of the impacts of the pandemic. In addition to experiential learning in the classroom, all students will still have an opportunity to obtain real work experience contingent on local employer’s COVID comfort. As even more added value, the College commits to support the development of workplace essential skills in all programs including use of technology and digitization. As well, the College will ensure all students have a formalized career plan and the opportunity to develop their resume/e-portfolio, practice interviewing skills, learn job search skills, write strong cover letters and have connectivity to hiring employers. The College will invest in graduates beyond the end date of their program and support early leavers from programs with transition to the workplace. Many of the NWC students have minimal experience in the work world and our goal is not only to build technical skills but also to prepare our students with soft skills and confidence. NWC invests in students and in reducing barriers to their success. The pandemic accentuated many of the issues our students face and reduced the opportunity to build strong supporting relationships. The College has always taken a holistic approach to student support however in 2021/22; NWC will be focusing our efforts on Healthy Campus North West College. The College will begin to implement the National Standard of Canada Mental Health and Well-being for postsecondary students. The College will collaborate with Healthy Campus Saskatchewan and develop a framework that works for the students of NWC. This focus is building on the success of the College’s BE WELL initiative. This comprehensive investment will result in redefining the supports and how offered, ensuring training of personnel, revising policies and practices and working even more closely with community agencies to support our students. NWC is committed to being student-centric, inclusive, harm reducing, community building and health promoting. The College strategic plan leadership initiative will focus on a peer-mentoring program with the help and support of Healthy Campus Saskatchewan. The College will expand the partnership of this program to include the U of R nursing students on community practicum at NWC. The focus will be healthy mind, body and life. The peer-mentoring program will build student capacity, promote healthy safer lifestyles and have a positive impact beyond the College community. These

two initiatives will create strategies of promotion, prevention and intervention and ultimately create an inclusive environment that promotes and supports the health and well-being of all students. The College accessed a federal grant in 2019/20 to support students with Truth and Reconciliation. This initiative was extended for 2020/21 but due to the pandemic, there was no ability to deliver it so graciously the funding has been extended to March 2022. This initiative supports 20 youth students to become certified in the KAIROA blanket exercise along with other teachings, so they are prepared to offer this service in their communities. It is a great program to build understanding and capacity. The College is proud of our multicultural region and provide many opportunities to explore and celebrate diversity. Going global, considering the worldview and being inclusive in all that we do becomes even more important as we begin our journey of international education.

The College holistic multifaceted supports extended in to a blended fashion during the pandemic and the College shall continue with the best practices in the coming years. The College provides many academic supports. All students can access supports for math, essay writing, study skills, reading for content and test taking strategies. The College also has educational technologies support for students. The College will develop supports to academic issues that arise as well. The College also has specific supports for students with disabilities. A trained professional develops a support program with the student based on their disability and engages all staff who work with that student to understand the strategies and interventions required. The student takes ownership of the learning strategies to support them as a student but also as they move into the labor force. Through Student Services teams, NWC invests in our students so they can be successful in their programs of studies, their life, and in their future careers. NWC contributes significantly to our region by providing an accessible, well-prepared workforce responsive to the needs of local, regional and provincial employers. As the College expands the number of programs delivered and attracts international students, the student services team will need increase in numbers to support the planned growth. The student services team is vital to student attraction, retention, graduation and attachment to the labor force.