What is Northern Opportunities?

Northern Opportunities is an innovative northeastern BC partnership of the Fort Nelson, Peace River North, and Peace River South school districts, Northern Lights College, First Nations, industry and your community with a common goal: to provide young people with a seamless learning pathway from secondary school to post secondary training leading to career success. Programs combine high school, college studies and work-based training enabling you to simultaneously earn your high school diploma and advanced credit in post secondary and/or industry certification.

Vision

The vision of Northern Opportunities is to develop strong, vibrant communities in Northeastern British Columbia where young people have seamless pathways to career success directly from secondary school graduation to post-secondary pursuits.

Mission

The mission is to strengthen individuals and communities in Northeast BC by enhancing opportunities for students to succeed in high school, pursue post-secondary education and build rewarding careers.

Guiding Principles

• Community driven through partnerships of Educators, Students & Industries
• Collaborative and inclusive of all partners
• Cost-effective & Sustainable
• Increased awareness of career options for students
• Increased access to post secondary education
• All post secondary training options valued
• Inclusive of all students
• Innovative, flexible and responsive to future needs

Goals

• Promote “stay in school”, post secondary laddering ,and career options
• Enable youth to remain in their communities by providing more local, relevant educational options
• Create new avenues to increase the success of aboriginal and non-traditional learners
• Merge post-secondary education with career options
• Establish a Regional Community Learning Centre which provides a continuum of resources and services

Objectives

The objectives of the Expanding Northern Opportunities program are to:

a) Increase the number of students and parents seeking information about career pathways including (but not limited to) early childhood education, health sciences, recreation, business, education, visual and graphic arts.-

b) Increase the percentage of student participation rates in career pathways including (but not limited to) early childhood education, health sciences, recreation, business, education, visual and graphic arts.

c) Increase the number of dual credit courses available to secondary school students in Northeast BC.

d) Maintain formal articulation agreements in place with post secondary partners in the region.

e) Offer additional information, programs and student support services for learners in non-traditional groups; young women, First Nations and Aboriginal learners.

f) Increase information and marketing efforts at the secondary level and middle school level so that students in earlier grades can become aware of the academic requirements for career programs.

g) Increase & diversify the number of industry partners involved in the initiative.

h) Build mutually beneficial relationships with public, private and industry agencies/groups.

i) Research and resource additional sources of funding .

Sustainability beyond our most recent grant from the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDI) will be crucial in the continued benefits to students, parents and industry in our northeast region. Therefore, Northern Opportunities is working to increase career opportunities & apprenticeships for students by engaging new partners.

Partner_Sponsor fact sheet

Partnership opportunities available to assist in Program Development

There are three levels of involvement for consideration:

A. Partner of Northern Opportunities

· a seat at the Community Learning Council with full voting privileges

· their logo is displayed on all marketing and promotional material.

· contributed financially towards the sustainability of Northern Opportunities.

· made a one time initial minimum contribution of $25,000 plus a contribution towards a Northern Opportunities program (see Contributor below).

B. Contributor of Northern Opportunities

· can attend meetings and participate in the discussions without voting privileges

· makes a financial contribution towards a Northern Opportunities program as listed below.

C. Advisor

· An Advisor is invited to participate/assist at the Working Group level with no voting privileges.