Red Deer Polytechnic (rdnewsNOW/ Josh Hall)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

RDP, Olds College, Burman University

Province announces over $10 million for seats in central Alberta post-secondary institutions

Apr 13, 2023 | 1:00 PM

Over $10 million will be invested into post-secondary institutions in central Alberta, creating nearly 400 new seats, according to a recent announcement by the provincial government.

The funding is part of a larger investment across the province, with the Alberta government providing $193 million for 8,000 new seats in high-demand programs.

Officials say the Budget 2023 funding represents the province’s largest investment for a targeted enrolment expansion initiative, building off of last year’s success, which created nearly 10,000 new post-secondary seats across Alberta.

“Last year, we announced an investment of $171 million to create 10,000 new spaces at our universities and colleges. Today, we are investing another $111 million to create another 3,000 spaces. This is the largest targeted expansion of seats in Alberta history and will ensure young Albertans can get into the programs they want, right here at home,” said Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Advanced Education.

In central Alberta, $10,537,956 has been allocated to create 388 seats.

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Red Deer Polytechnic will receive roughly $1.3 million for 180 seats:

• 72 seats in Administrative Professional ($96,031)
• 48 seats in Pharmacy Technician ($551,096)
• 60 seats in Medical Device Technologist ($681,073)

“We thank the Government of Alberta for supporting Red Deer Polytechnic in delivering more applied learning opportunities for more students and for collaborating with the post-secondary sector to address the needs of Alberta’s evolving workforce,” says Dr. Paulette Hanna, Interim Vice President, Academic. “This additional funding will allow us to offer more seats in more programs in high-demand fields, which means Red Deer Polytechnic can have an even greater economic and social impact in Alberta.”

RDP officials say the TEE Grant funding of $1.3 million for expanded seats is in addition to the $4.5 million awarded in Fall 2022, which added more than 700 new seats in eight programs between 2022/2023 and 2024/2025.

Previous seat expansions were awarded in: Bachelor of Applied Arts in Film, Theatre and Live Entertainment – Film Production, Bachelor of Applied Arts in Animation and Visual Effects, Machine Learning Analyst Diploma, Computer Programming Diploma, Medical Lab Assistant Certificate, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Practical Nurse Diploma, and Health Care Aide Certificate.

Olds College will receive $562,326 for 60 seats in Animal Health Technology and Burman University in Lacombe will get $1,209,280 for 60 seats in the Bachelor of Business program.

The University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus located in Camrose will benefit from the remaining regional funds for the U of A’s Masters of Science programs in Speech Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy.

Officials note programs receiving funding in 2023 were chosen based on workforce needs, learner demand and institutional capacity, among other criteria. Priority sectors being funded include health care, technology and business. Of the new seats receiving funding, more than 3,400 are in health care training programs.

The $193-million investment includes:

• $87 million to continue programs announced in 2022 for students to complete their four-year programs
• $10 million over three years to create more than 1,100 new seats for business, technology and other programs at 23 post-secondary institutions
• $3.6 million over three years in tech talent funding to create 300 new seats at five post-secondary institutions
• $86 million to expand health care training programs to create:
  • 120 new physician seats
  • 1,400 new seats over three years in health-related programs like registered nurses, health care aides, licensed practical nurses, nursing coordinators and supervisors, paramedical occupations and other technicians
  • 2,100 seats over three years in nurse bridging programs for internationally educated nurses

“We are committed to growing our health care workforce and ensuring we have the spaces available for Alberta’s students to continue their education. The increase in post-secondary health care training program spaces will help address staffing needs and build a stronger health care system for Albertans,” said Jason Copping, Minister of Health.

David Shepherd, the Alberta NDP Health Critic, says raised tuition costs and cuts to post-secondary don’t help the UCP’s message.

“Yet another abrupt policy reversal on the eve of the election doesn’t undo the profound damage the UCP has done to our post-secondary schools and our healthcare system,” says Shepherd.

“While more post-secondary spaces for future health care workers are welcome, we must end the UCP chaos in health care to attract the workers we need. Thousands of scheduled nursing shifts are going unfilled every month because of the UCP’s war on health care workers.”

Shepherd notes the NDP’s commitments to freezing tuition and connecting Albertans with a Family Health Team.