Institution will focus on being ready for change, set for success, and prepared to go forward
College of the Rockies has unveiled a Two-Year Action Plan aimed at working together with local communities through recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and beyond.
“The post-COVID world will be a transformed one,” said College President Paul Vogt, “and it will bring both challenges and opportunities to our region. The College is positioning itself to meet a growing demand for skilled workers and support innovation in our workplaces.”
The action plan is focused on three pillars, with the primary goals of being ready for continuous change and the ‘next’ normal (Ready), anticipating and addressing the needs of students (Set), and serving as the educational leader in the region (Go).
Feedback from over 100 regional stakeholders form the foundation on which the Action Plan was built. The extensive response made clear that trends underway prior to COVID have accelerated, and more changes are anticipated in the years ahead.
In particular, employers project a growing demand for skilled tradespeople and employees in the IT, health, education, and ECE sectors. They also foresee a strong rebound in the hospitality and tourism sectors once current restrictions are lifted. And enterprises across all sectors expect to be adopting new technologies and updating their business models.
“College of the Rockies’ role, as the principal provider of career education and job skills for our region, is as important as ever,” Vogt added. “How we plan for tomorrow, along with our own ability to provide responsive and innovative programming, are critical to the success of the students and employers we serve. We don’t see this action plan as a wish list, it is a clear ‘to-do’ list as we move forward.”
Presentations on the College’s two-year action plan are underway throughout the region, taking place at upcoming chamber of commerce meetings and local municipal councils.
The full two-year action plan is available on the College’s website.
About College of the Rockies
For more than 45 years, College of the Rockies has provided post-secondary education that meets the needs and aspirations of the people, industry and businesses of our region. Each year, we welcome more than 10,000 full-time and part-time students into a full range of programs, including: skilled trades, university studies, adult upgrading, early childhood education, health and human services, business, office administration, tourism, hospitality, recreation, fire services, continuing education and contract training. Through smaller class sizes, highly-personalized instruction and dedicated support services, our students are primed to succeed in the job market, or in the next stage of their academic journey.
Media Contact:
Heather Jackson
Manager, Communications and Marketing
College of the Rockies
250-489-8258
jackson@cotr.bc.ca