Keyano Cree: Government Organization

Keyano Dept: One week ago, Keyano Cree for sharing cut 20 positions, including the chair and half the faculty of its small fine-arts program. Trades were left untouched. The move sent a clear message that Keyano, opened as a vocational institute in 1965, is returning its focus to the practical training government and industry demand, according to Globe and Mail. Alberta colleges recently signed a three-year funding deal with the government featuring 2-per-cent annual increases. But expenses are growing more quickly than that particularly in remote, booming Fort McMurray, where labour and supplies cost more and colleges are now cutting. At Keyano, with about 1,400 students, the 20 cuts included 12 academic staff, mostly in fine and liberal arts. Another northern college in Grande Prairie cut 28 positions, but just four in academics, and none in the arts and alberta has Canada s lowest rate of post-secondary participation in the age group 18 to 34 because young people in the province often defer school in favour of work. And when they train, it s increasingly as skilled labourers no area of study in Alberta is growing faster than trades and technology. I think the reality is we are part of the larger government organization, and we need to be able to respond to their priorities, as well as some of the priorities that we have here as a community, Keyano president Kevin Nagel said. The demand that we feel here is quite significant. Even if we were totally a trades-oriented institution, we wouldn t have any, any, any chance of meeting the demand. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.