Northlands College launches the “2023 Year of Transformation” rolling out a new organizational structure grounded in learning and access. The new organizational structure is informed by recommendations from the College’s Fall 2022 Operational Review.
The Review was completed by an external consultancy and highlighted the College’s 57 percent decline in enrolment since 2011 along with significant issues pertaining to stakeholder Engagement, Human Resources, College Processes, Strategy, and Infrastructure Planning.
In late Fall 2022, the Review and its six-point Action Plan were completed with full implementation approval from the College’s Board of Directors. “Our goal is to complete full adoption of the Action Plan during 2023 which will be a year of transformation for Northlands College” said Karsten Henriksen, the College’s President & CEO.
Planning for the new organizational structure of the College is rooted in a whole-of-the-North approach. We recognize the growing demands for Health & Wellness Education in Northern Saskatchewan and as a result, we are pleased to announce the creation of the Director, Health & Wellness portfolio which will lead programs in Nursing and Dental Therapy, while working to introduce new programming in Addictions Recovery and Healing, Early Childhood Education and Long-term Care.
The College will also move leadership of Trades & Technology including the College’s Mine School under the portfolio of Director, Trades & Technology. In addition to growing access to Mine Training, the portfolio will also lead planning for Environmental Management programming. According to Northlands College President & CEO “the college is also pleased to announce that we are basing the Director, Trades & Technology position at the College’s Buffalo Narrows Campus”.
In recognition of changes to learning styles and the need for flexibility in learning, the College is creating the portfolio of Director, Flexible Learning. The position will lead the development and implementation of a new Adult Basic Education model grounded in the principles of adult education and labour market pathways while, celebrating indigenous knowledge.
The Director, Flexible Learning will also lead the launch of the Northlands College Learning Hub which will be the home of the Centre for Northern Post-Secondary Teaching & Innovation, and Capable North which will develop and deliver work-integrated learning, industry co- branded certificates and micro-credentials, general interest programming while hosting summer camps in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
Northlands College will also transition its University Studies to the portfolio of the Director, University Studies with the goal of increasing access to Business, Social Work, and Information Studies. The University Studies portfolio will lead the College’s engagement with University of the Arctic.
“We remain committed to fulfilling our purpose by transforming to meet the needs of learners, communities and our regions’ workforce and labour market needs” said, Henriksen.