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By admin, May 3, 2011

FORT ST. JOHN   Secondary school students in the Peace River and Northern Rockies districts

Psychology 101 Dual Credit students in class at the Fort Nelson Campus.

are taking full advantage of an expanding range of Dual Credit learning opportunities at Northern Lights College.

Dual Credit allows high school students to get a head start on their future by earning post-secondary credits at NLC while they are still in secondary school.

Dual Credit programming started in 2002, with an initial focus on trades and technology program areas.

Since 2009, Dual Credit opportunities have expanded into University Arts and Sciences

Psychology 101 Dual Credit students in class at the Fort St. John Campus.

subjects including Biology, Business Management, Criminology, Early Childhood Education and Care, English, Information Technology, Math, and Psychology.

The growth has been especially noticeable in School Districts 60 (Peace River North) and 81 (Fort Nelson).

Academic Dual Credit options began with face-to-face courses at North Peace Secondary School in Fort St. John, but now include courses delivered entirely at the College by College instructors, and even joint delivery of courses by NPSS and NLC faculty who work on a team-teaching model, said Steve Roe, Chair of University Arts and Sciences at NLC.

This year, SD 60 has 94 Dual Credit students enrolled in academic courses offered at NLC. And, through the support of Randy Pauls, Principal of the Northern B.C. Distance Education School, NLC academic Dual Credit courses are also available online.

In SD 60, eligible students must select their academic Dual Credit courses by Sept. 30; academic Dual Credit courses usually run from February to May. The School District pays the tuition; the students pay for their textbooks and student fees.

It’s an investment in our community. We’re helping students to make a seamless transition from secondary school to the world of university-level Arts and Sciences, said Brian Campbell, SD 60’s Principal of Careers and International Education.

And this year, students in School District 81 are taking full advantage of their first opportunity to enrol in academic Dual Credit courses. Fort Nelson and area students are studying in three different academic courses and utilizing three different delivery methods to complete their studies.

Seventeen students attend NLC’s Fort Nelson Campus for in-person delivery of Psychology 101; two students are taking Criminology 101 via videoconference, joining students in Fort St. John; and one student is studying English 100 online.

The Dual Credit course opportunities in University Arts and Sciences provide our students with a smooth transition from high school to post-secondary education, said Denise Stephenson, SD 81’s Career Coordinator. Our school district is very excited to have academic Dual Credit courses available and in the future hope to have an increase in student participation.

The origins of Dual Credit programs in northeastern British Columbia are linked to Northern Opportunities, whose mission is to strengthen individuals and communities in the northeast by enhancing opportunities to succeed in high school, pursue post-secondary education, and build rewarding careers.

We’re building something great here by being able to offer academic Dual Credit, said Roe. Now we want to nurture it and let it grow.

For more information on Dual Credit programming, students should contact their secondary school counselor. For more information on programs at NLC, go to nlc.bc.ca, call toll-free 1-866-463-6652 or email studentrecruiters@nlc.bc.ca.

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By admin, April 9, 2011

Advantages of a Dual Credit Program

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By admin, March 21, 2011

To view their article, visit the Dawson Creek Daily News site here.

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By admin, March 20, 2011

DAWSON CREEK – More than 240 Grade 9 students from across School District 59 converged on Northern Lights College on March 16 for the annual Dual Credit Day event.

Grade 9 students from throughout School District 59 experienced Dual Credit programs available at NLC during Dual Credit Day on March 16. Among the programs in which students participated were: Automotive Service Technician, Heavy Duty Technician, and Welding.

Dual Credit Day provides students with the opportunity to experience their choice of three program areas available to secondary school students for Dual Credit study. The event was held at NLC’s Dawson Creek and South Peace campuses.

Participants selected from numerous program areas, including: Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, Automotive Service Technician, Carpentry, Cook Training, Cosmetology, Early Childhood Education and Care, Esthetics, Health Care, Heavy Duty Mechanic, Plumbing, University Arts and Sciences, Visual Arts, Welding, and Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician.

The event included an opening presentation by professional chuck wagon racer Mark Sutherland, who also works for Encana as a public speaker. He reminded the students that Dual Credit Day was a perfect opportunity for them to try out some potential careers.

“If you don’t have an education, that closes doors for you. The opportunities are there, and there’s a thousand things you can do,” Sutherland said. “Today you are going to experience some of those opportunities and careers and you will get a good feeling if this is what you want to do… And it’s okay to change your focus, but it’s not okay to stop. That’s what today is all about. You have three sessions to try things out.”

Dual Credit Day is designed to give students hands-on experience to discover information about specific careers. Students learn they can start the transition to a career in Grade 11 or 12, earning secondary and post-secondary school credits while still in secondary school.

Event sponsors included: Encana, School District 59, Northern Opportunities, and Dominos Pizza.

The College also will be hosting a Dual Credit Day event at the Fort St. John Campus in May.

For more information on Dual Credit programs, students should contact their secondary school counsellor. For more information on programs available at NLC, call 1-866-463-6652 or check the website at nlc.bc.ca.

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By admin, February 28, 2011

DAWSON CREEK – Competitors ranging from Grade 6 students to post-secondary Apprentices will be testing their skills during the annual Peace Region Skills Canada competitions in March.

Two days of competitions have been scheduled. On Wednesday, March 9, Elementary, Middle and Secondary school students will test their skills in various disciplines at a number of locations throughout the Peace Region, including Northern Lights College.

For students in Grades 6-9 (Junior Skills), the Spaghetti Bridge Building Competition will be held in the NLC gymnasium.

For students in Grades 10-12 (Secondary), they will be eligible to compete in one of 10 disciplines:

· Baking, Carpentry, Culinary Arts, and Welding will be held at NLC’s Dawson Creek Campus;
· Cabinetmaking, Architectural Computer Aided Design (CAD), Cosmetology and Esthetics will be held at NLC’s South Peace Campus and South Peace Secondary School;
· Automotive Service Technician will be held at North Peace Secondary School in Fort St. John; and
· Fashion Technology will be held at Chetwynd Secondary School.

Then, on Saturday, March 12, Post-Secondary Apprentices and Trades students will have the chance to shine. NLC will host Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, Baking, Carpentry, Culinary Arts and Welding at the Dawson Creek Campus, and Cosmetology and Esthetics at the South Peace Campus. The post-secondary events are open to the public.

Each competition is open to students in the Peace, Liard and Stikine regions. The gold medal winner in each event will have the chance to travel to Abbotsford in April to compete at the Skills Canada Provincial championships.

The Peace Region did well at last year’s provincials, capturing a gold and two silver medals.

For more information on Skills Canada, or the Peace Regional events, contact the Peace Regional Skills Canada coordinator, Jamie Maxwell at South Peace Secondary School via email, jmaxwell@sd59.bc.ca.

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By admin, February 27, 2011

Click to view the article: Dawson Creek Daily News

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By admin, February 27, 2011

DAWSON CREEK – In recent years, a number of secondary school students have enrolled as Dual Credit students in the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) program at the Dawson Creek Campus of Northern Lights College.

But on Jan. 28, 18-year-old Anastasia Anderson became the first Dual Credit student to complete the program while still in secondary school.

Dual Credit allows secondary school students to enrol in College programming while still in secondary school, earning credits at both levels at the same time. Each year, dozens of Dual Credit students earn Certificates in five- or eight-month programs at NLC.

But earning a Diploma in a 15-month program as a Dual Credit student is a significant accomplishment. It requires planning on the part of the student to ensure secondary school course requirements are met, and then completing first- and second-year courses at the College level.

“I’ve always been used to working independently through distributed learning courses. Distributed learning was challenging for me, so when I started here, I was prepared for a difficult program,” Anderson said.

Anderson studied through the South Peace Distributed Learning School (formerly Electric Education) in Dawson Creek prior to starting the AME program in September 2009. She was an accomplished student, having met the AME program’s prerequisites (Grade 11 Math, English and Science) by the end of Grade 10. After completing English 12 in Grade 11, she had completed her required secondary school courses, and was ready to concentrate on AME.

“You have to really be dedicated. The instructors, and the other students push you, and it’s good that they push you, because that’s what it takes to be successful in the industry,” Anderson said. “It takes focus, and total dedication, and you need to be ready to work.”

Part of the reason for this is the responsibility undertaken by an aircraft maintenance engineer, with the lives of potentially thousands of people dependent daily on the knowledge and expertise of an engineer.

“It makes me more aware of being careful and safe, and making sure that everything is done right. You can’t be in a rush,” Anderson said.

She said that it helped to be surrounded by a group of students and instructors who share the same goals.

“That’s the great thing about this class, everyone is so dedicated,” Anderson said. “This is a really good class, my classmates and instructors are great. It’s almost like a family, with great dynamics.”

Even then, Anderson had some doubts through the first five months of the program.

“The first five months were the toughest. We did a lot of sheet metal work, and I had never done that before,” Anderson said. “But the last five months have been awesome, working on the floor, working on the aircraft.”

The AME Basic program is designed for students seeking a Canadian Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence, Category M1 or M2. Federal law requires aircraft to be certified before flight at regular intervals and after maintenance. There are three components required for licence application: training, experience, and successfully completing the Canadian Aviation Regulation exam. An NLC diploma provides the full training component and one and a half years of the four-year experience component.

Anderson plans to work in the field of helicopters, and already had an interview scheduled with a company in Fort St. John.

For more information on the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering program, check the NLC website at nlc.bc.ca or call 250-782-5251 or 1-866-463-6652. For more information on Dual Credit programming, students should contact their secondary school counselor.

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By admin, February 14, 2011

DAWSON CREEK – Shaun Schmidt, a C Level Dual Credit welding student at Northern Lights College, is the

Shaun Schmidt (middle) received his tool bag from NLC welding instructor William Smith and Dean of Trades, Apprenticeship and Technology Jeff Lekstrom.

The award is presented to a welding student who shows a high level of proficiency and achievement.

Schmidt, who also attends Grade 12 at South Peace Secondary School, attained a final mark of 90 per cent in the NLC program. In addition to completing his studies, Schmidt is working part-time as a welder.

Schmidt’s award included a grinder, welding jacket, gloves, welding sleeves, and assorted tools.

For more information on the Welding program, or any programs at NLC, check the College website at nlc.bc.ca or call 1-866-463-6652 or 250-782-5251. For more information on Dual Credit programs, secondary school students should contact their school counselor.

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By admin, February 13, 2011

DAWSON CREEK – Shaun Schmidt, a C Level Dual Credit welding student at Northern Lights College, is the 2011 recipient of a tool bag and supplies from BC Hydro Construction.

Shaun Schmidt (middle) received his tool bag from NLC welding instructor William Smith and Dean of Trades, Apprenticeship and Technology Jeff Lekstrom.

The award is presented to a welding student who shows a high level of proficiency and achievement.

Schmidt, who also attends Grade 12 at South Peace Secondary School, attained a final mark of 90 per cent in the NLC program. In addition to completing his studies, Schmidt is working part-time as a welder.

Schmidt’s award included a grinder, welding jacket, gloves, welding sleeves, and assorted tools.

For more information on the Welding program, or any programs at NLC, check the College website at nlc.bc.caor call 1-866-463-6652 or 250-782-5251. For more information on Dual Credit programs, secondary school students should contact their school counselor.

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By admin, February 10, 2011

DAWSON CREEK – In recent years, a number of secondary school students have enrolled as Dual Credit students in the in the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) program at the Dawson Creek Campus of Northern Lights College.

But on Jan. 28, 18-year-old Anastasia Anderson became the first Dual Credit student to complete the program while still in secondary school.

Dual Credit allows secondary school students to enroll in College programming while still in secondary school, earning credits at both levels at the same time. Each year, dozens of Dual Credit students earn Certificates in five- or eight-month programs at NLC.

But earning a Diploma in a 15-month program as a Dual Credit student is a significant accomplishment. It requires planning on the part of the student to ensure secondary school course requirements are met, and then completing first- and second-year courses at the College level.

“I’ve always been used to working independently through distributed learning courses. Distributed learning was challenging for me, so when I started here, I was prepared for a difficult program,” Anderson said.

Anderson studied through the South Peace Distributed Learning School (formerly Electric Education) in Dawson Creek prior to starting the AME program in September 2009. She was an accomplished student, having met the AME program’s prerequisites (Grade 11 Math, English and Science) by the end of Grade 10. After completing English 12 in Grade 11, she had completed her required secondary school courses, and was ready to concentrate on AME.

“You have to really be dedicated. The instructors, and the other students push you, and it’s good that they push you, because that’s what it takes to be successful in the industry,” Anderson said. “It takes focus, and total dedication, and you need to be ready to work.”

Part of the reason for this is the responsibility undertaken by an aircraft maintenance engineer, with the lives of potentially thousands of people dependent daily on the knowledge and expertise of an engineer.

“It makes me more aware of being careful and safe, and making sure that everything is done right. You can’t be in a rush,” Anderson said.

She said that it helped to be surrounded by a group of students and instructors who share the same goals.

“That’s the great thing about this class, everyone is so dedicated,” Anderson said. “This is a really good class, my classmates and instructors are great. It’s almost like a family, with great dynamics.”

Even then, Anderson had some doubts through the first five months of the program.

“The first five months were the toughest. We did a lot of sheet metal work, and I had never done that before,” Anderson said. “But the last five months have been awesome, working on the floor, working on the aircraft.”

The AME Basic program is designed for students seeking a Canadian Aircraft Maintenance Engineer License, Category M1 or M2. Federal law requires aircraft to be certified before flight at regular intervals and after maintenance. There are three components required for license application: training, experience, and successfully completing the Canadian Aviation Regulation exam. An NLC diploma provides the full training component and one and a half years of the four-year experience component.

Anderson plans to work in the field of helicopters, and already had an interview scheduled with a company in Fort St. John.

For more information on the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering program, check the NLC website at nlc.bc.ca or call 250-782-5251 or 1-866-463-6652. For more information on Dual Credit programming, students should contact their secondary school counselor.