The new Bow Valley College (BVC) Strathmore expansion will aid residents in the area in pursuing higher education while staying close to home.
“This campus is really something that is embedded in the community,” said the Manager of Regional Stewardship of the Airdrie and Strathmore BVC Campus Care Doré.
The BVC Strathmore campus will help foster the growth of entrepreneurs in their skill training while allowing access to education in their backyards, which will allow students to continue to work and contribute to the further economic development of the community, Doré said.
“We really want to engage the community and have this be a hub for learning in the community,” Doré said.
“We can already say it has begun to benefit the area. We started with six graduates, and now we have over 30 finish the programming,” Doré added, “We have a lot of people who are already getting employed from that.
“The community of Strathmore and area has been very instrumental in getting to this point, BVC is very invested in its learning and we look forward to seeing what the community wants, and offering more to the community,” Doré added.
Strathmore Mayor Pat Fule said during the official grand opening celebration of BVC Strathmore campus, that during his teaching career of more than three decades he has come to appreciate the county students, local town students, and the Siksika Nation students for their honesty, their courage, their sense of humour, their desire to do something good in the world, and their drive to make something of themselves.
“Education is the greatest tool a person can use to learn more, they become what they want to be, so they can contribute to the greater society,” Fule said.
BVC is the right entrepreneurial centre to build entrepreneurs from academic upgrading, to essential skill training.
“Our local residents will be able to study and better themselves in this new beautiful environment, they get to stay home, or close to home while they pursue their education.”
BVC graduate of the Medical Office Assistant and Hospital Unit Clerk Program Robin Belik, 39, said the reason she chose to attend BVC Strathmore Campus was because she was looking to get a one-year certificate in the medical field.
“As a mom I just wanted flexibility,” she added, “When I applied to BVC I saw a little add that I could come [to Strathmore] and learn, and that was perfect. It seemed too good to be true,” she said.
“This is a campus already inspiring people to reach their goals,” said Minister of Advanced Education Marlin Schmidt.
“It’s empowering them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in a modern and diverse economy.
“Strathmore campus is a place for everyone. It’s a new hub of learning that will attract the best and brightest students. It’s a launch pad for upcoming entrepreneurs, start-ups, and businesses,” he added.
BVC was able to extend its community reach due to a federal grant of $393,000 from the Post-Secondary Strategic Investment Fund, BVC was also able to match funds from its own budget and the provincial government, Fule said.
