Both Confederation College and Lakehead University (LU) have received money from the provincial government to help the organizations train more students.
The college is receiving the bulk of the funding, a total of $2,238,925, to train up to 267 additional students in construction programs.
“Between the multiple (construction) programs, the demand is huge. There’s obviously major construction that’s happening in northwestern Ontario, and these programs help to support that work,” said Confederation College President Michelle Salo.
“There’s definitely domestic student demand. That’s what we saw this past fall with the intake, so we’re hoping it will continue.”
The programs are also available to eligible international students.
According to the college, most of the students stay in the north to continue their careers.
An additional $800,320 is being delivered to Lakehead to expand enrollment in nursing programs at the university.
“Absolutely wonderful news for Lakehead and for our nursing program, but more importantly for the city of Thunder Bay in the region of Northwestern,” said the President and Vice Chancellor of Lakehead University, Dr. Gillian Siddall.
“Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system, and I think particularly so in the north and in more rural and remote regions of the north, so it’s just fantastic news.”
LU was unable to provide information on how many more students will be able to enter a nursing program with the funding.
