The President and Vice Chancellor for University College of the North Doug Lauvstad spoke to the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce yesterday.  He reported they have campuses in The Pas and Thompson and 12 regional campuses including Flin Flon and 9 of them in First Nations.  He explained in 2016-17 they enrolled 23 hundred students in adult learning, certificate, diploma and undergraduate degree programs speaking of their success.  He said most of their graduates get jobs and that’s consistent with other community colleges and universities particularly in the north where they’ve heard over and over again the skill shortages particularly in trades, technologies, professional classifications.

Lauvstad added we need to develop skills so we can grow and diversify our industries so UCN is undertaking a comprehensive strategy including connecting with the labor market and their needs, focusing on the skills needed, strengthening their internal systems and sharing their story and their success.