Faculty members of the School of Environment and Geomatics (formerly School of Renewable Resources) at Selkirk College have spent the last year re-designing curriculum in four environmental diploma programs. The new curriculum is ready for fall 2011.
“We are excited to embark on a new era for environmental training here in the West Kootenay and Boundary regions,” states Selkirk College school chair, Derek Marcoux. “You can begin your hands-on training in the environmental sector and then ladder into our own degree program in geographic information systems. It’s also easy to transfer to other post-secondary institutions across BC.”
The School of Environment and Geomatics offers career technology two-year diploma programs in forestry, integrated environmental planning, and recreation, fish and wildlife technologies.
According to a 2010 report by EcoCanada, there will be 100,000 job vacancies in the environmental sector over the next decade. Even during the economic downturn in 2008, over 40 per cent of environmental employers were hiring.
“Many of our graduates have found direct, related employment and are beginning their careers in this rapidly growing sector,” Marcoux says.
“Jobs for forestry graduates have really picked up this past year. As well our graduates are successfully competing for BC park ranger jobs, fisheries technologist jobs and a wide variety of environmental-related employment such as environmental reclamation, environmental monitoring and land use planning.”
For more information on the School of Environment and Geomatics, visit selkirk.ca/eg or call 1-888-953-1133, ext. 392.