North Island College will teach people about remote economic development through an upcoming program.
The BC Government says the micro-credential program will have six stackable courses focused on building economic development for rural and remote municipalities, local governments, and Indigenous communities.
The course material includes entrepreneurship, rural community development, market research, and infrastructure.
The goal of this program is to improve economic resilience by giving people the right skillsets for their careers, with the province investing $278,000 to build the program.
President and CEO of the college, Lisa Domae, says barriers to accessing this training can leave those rural communities behind.
“These stackable micro credentials will be available both online and in person, allowing interested learners to stay in community and build critical capacity for their home community,” said Domae.
The province says the college will be talking with communities, industry experts, and First Nations to build the program and curriculum plan, with hopes it can align with the needs of these communities.
Once it’s made, the program will wrap-up by getting the students to design a plan for a municipality or First Nation for their final project.