News Article

College of the North Atlantic has increased its total enrollment by 8.2 percent over the previous year, while also reducing the number of students on its waitlists by 20.1 percent.
 
“Increased enrollment in areas like industrial trades and health sciences are indicative of College of the North Atlantic’s move to strategically align our programs to match both student demand and Newfoundland and Labrador’s labour market needs,” said Ann Marie Vaughan, college president and CEO. “This is a critical step in achieving our vision of graduating quality students who are ready for the marketplace.”
 
Taking into account program waitlists from last year, as well as current and projected job opportunities, the college focused on adding capacity in areas that show high demand from students and the labour market. The organization also pooled its campus-specific waitlists into one provincial list to better accommodate and manage the enrollment process.
 
The result was an 8.2 percent increase in enrollment – a number that includes all students in regular college programs, and those in contract training programs which run for a minimum of 12 weeks. In terms of the actual number of students, the college has seen an increase over last year of 434.
 
“College of the North Atlantic is so pleased to be fuelling increased enrollment,” said President Vaughan.  “By focusing on current and projected employment opportunities and addressing the skill shortages, our organization and the students we graduate are truly helping to shape the future of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
 
The highest increases are in industrial trades (12 percent) and health sciences (9 percent).  Access programs in sector skills and comprehensive arts and science have increased access enrollments by 15 percent from last year.  These access programs are short-term in duration and have a high conversion rate of students accessing further programs at College of the North Atlantic or Memorial University, providing additional benefits to the public post-secondary system and the labour market.
 
Enrollment increases at nine campuses has been significant as well.  Seal Cove is up 60 percent, Bonavista is up 21 percent, Port aux Basques has seen a 20 percent increase and Prince Philip Drive has grown enrollment by 17 percent.  There are also campuses where enrollment has dipped, but President Vaughan says the college will focus on continuing to add new programs and capacity in existing programs at these locations to better serve students in those regions.
 
“Most of our campuses are up in enrollment, but some are down, and we intend to focus on these while continuing to address program waitlists and labour market demand,” she said.
 
By December 2013, enrollment is expected to grow further with a projected 9.6 percent increase from Fall 2012 with 12 campuses projecting to be in positive growth by that time.
 
“We are a 12-month operation and so the public should see programs being added on an ongoing basis at the college,” said President Vaughan.
 
For more information on College of the North Atlantic or any of its program offerings, visit www.cna.nl.ca. College of the North Atlantic is the public college for Newfoundland and Labrador.
 
  
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Media contact:

Stephen Lee
Manager of Marketing and Communications
College of the North Atlantic
709-643-7721
stephen.lee@cna.nl.ca