NORTH BATTLEFORD — The early history of North West College in the Battlefords began with response to a growing need in the Battlefords area, thus establishing Mistikwa Community College in 1975.
Kim Brown-Kopera tells the Battlefords News Optimist and SASKTODAY.ca, “Under the direction of Chairman Ray McInnis (1974-1975) and Principal Delmar Gorius (1974-1977), 32 academic divisions were able to serve 47 communities within our catchment area. The courses first offered through Mistikwa included general interest courses, university degree programs, adult basic education and skills training. The college’s region spans an area in excess of 44,000 square kilometers with a population of over 100,000 and includes over one-third of the province’s First Nation communities.”
Student services expanded from 1979-1985, including a career counselling and information centre being established, establishing the college’s ability to support the people of the Battlefords in their personal and professional development.
In 1986, the very first Master of Education program was offered on campus, increasing the diversity of the post-secondary programing offered by the college.
Brown-Kopera said, “In 1992, the ‘Born to Read’ program was established providing a board book and accompanying bag to every newborn in the North West Regional College’s catchment area through a partnership with Prairie North Health Region. The program supported the importance of literacy in the home and the benefits that derive for both the caregiver and the child.”
An Adult 12 program was added in 1996. In 2000, NWRC marked the grand opening of its flagship campus in the Battlefords, followed by its continued commitment to the north with the grand opening of the new Meadow Lake campus.
2011 saw the college open its student residence and a welding lab at the Meadow Lake Campus. The residence consists of 40 individual units with 96 rental bedrooms.
A benchmark was celebrated in 2015 with the NWRC celebrating its 40th anniversary and being renamed North West College.
January of 2024 was exciting as the grand opening of the Frontier Mall Learning Centre occurred. This was a result of needing additional space for programming. It is an off-site facility that hosts a lecture theatre, classrooms and two additional offices.
NWC includes 103 students at rural sites as well as the students at both Meadow Lake and North Battleford campuses.
There is a wide variety of courses offered for students including basic education, English as an additional language and university and other classes, all of which can be found on the website .
Brown-Kopera acknowledges two of the highlights from the past year at Northwest College are expansion of programming – including psychiatric nursing, microcredentials (short focused programs to enhance employability) and continuing care assistant (CCA) courses – and a funding allocation for planning for a new campus in the Battlefords.
A challenge faced by the community college is the rapid growth pace. Brown-Kopera admits they have outgrown their footprint and are expanding off campus to accommodate students and additional classroom/shop space.
There are a number of benefits to continued education at community colleges including smaller classroom sizes. North West College is committed to providing educational programs and services that meet the needs of students. They are continually adding programs and courses designed to meet students’ needs as well as responding to the needs of employers.
