Fleming College

City of Kawartha Lakes ON – (March 27, 2014) – An innovative partnership among Confederation College, Northern College and Fleming College will allow students in Thunder Bay and Timmins to access Fleming’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) programs in their own community. 

The GIS – Applications Specialist and GIS – Cartographic Specialist programs are full-time, ten-month, post-graduate programs traditionally offered at Fleming’s School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Frost Campus in Lindsay. Those two programs will now be offered at Confederation College as the Fleming College GIS – Applications Specialist Program at Thunder Bay and the Fleming College GIS – Cartographic Specialist Program at Thunder Bay, and at Northern College as the Fleming College GIS – Applications Specialist Program at Timmins and the Fleming College GIS – Cartographic Specialist Program at Timmins.

The partnership aims to minimize barriers for students to achieve an Ontario college graduate certificate in this in-demand field of study by enhancing access through program delivery.

“GIS is used extensively throughout northwestern Ontario in a variety of sectors including natural resources and health care,” said Confederation College President Jim Madder. “This partnership allows students from northwestern Ontario to enrol in this excellent program right here at home and gain new skills that employers are looking for.”

“The mining exploration and forestry industries, two cornerstones of our local communities, require individuals with specialized GIS training,” said Fred Gibbons, President of Northern College. “Fleming has a very strong reputation in this area of study. It was natural for us to build upon our previously established partnership with Fleming to create a pathway for students in northern Ontario to access this best-in-class post-secondary training.”

Using leading edge web conferencing technology, the students at Confederation and Northern colleges will participate in the program synchronously. They will be in the same “class,” taking the same courses delivered by Fleming faculty, at the same time as their peers located in Lindsay.

“This initiative involves bringing opportunities to students rather than requiring students to relocate. It is part of the future of education and I am proud to work with Confederation and Northern to make it happen,” said Tony Tilly, President, Fleming College.

Within the agreement:

– Students apply through OCAS to Fleming with tuition and fees paid to Fleming. Fleming will then provide an annual payment to Confederation and Northern.

– Confederation and Northern will provide teaching space, including labs and equipment as necessary.

– All institutions will provide information technology support to ensure delivery of distance courses.

– Students will participate in a one-week field camp in southern Ontario that brings students from all sites together with their faculty

– Students will have access to Confederation’s and Northern’s student support services and will be members of their student associations.

– Students will be able to use campus facilities, will be issued Confederation or Northern student identification cards, and will have access to student health plans.

– Fleming will confer the graduate certificate.

About Confederation College
Confederation College has been serving the citizens of northwestern Ontario since 1967 meeting the educational needs of students in a catchment area of some 550,000 square kilometres. Along with its main campus in Thunder Bay, Confederation College has eight regional sites located in Dryden, Fort Frances, Geraldton, Kenora, Marathon, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake and Wawa. Confederation College delivers exceptional education and training to an average of 8,800 combined full and part-time students per year and currently has a total of 805 full and part-time employees. Confederation’s regional economic impact and contribution is valued at $411.2 million annually.

About Northern College
Northern College offers over 75 full and part-time post-secondary programs through its Schools of Business and Office Administration, Community Services, Engineering Technology and Trades, Health Sciences and Emergency Services, Veterinary Sciences and Welding Engineering Technology. Northern College has campuses in Haileybury, Kirkland Lake, Moosonee and Timmins. Northern College is best known for its five signature programs, Electrical Engineering Technician, Haileybury School of Mines Mining Engineering Technician, Practical Nursing, Veterinary Technician, and Welding Engineering Technology.

About Fleming College
Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Community Development and Health, Continuing Education, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Science, Justice and Business, and Skilled Trades and Technology. Fleming College has more than 5,900 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and more than 65,000 alumni.

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For more information:

 
Laura Copeland
Communications Officer
laura.copeland@flemingcollege.ca
Tel: 705.749.5530 ext. 1370

Jennifer Schoffer
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Advancement and Communications, Confederation College
 Jennifer.Schoffer@confderationc.on.ca
Tel: 807.475.6137

Crystal Bresson
Northern College
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 705.235.3211 ext. 2253
bressonc@northern.on.ca