Wii would like you to learn IT…

"This is an exciting program that is a cut above anything we have seen in the country" -- Stephanie Forsyth, president of NWCC and chair of NPSC, expressing enthusiasm for a new program to be provided by Northwest Community college

It’s a computer user's dream course, play as many video games as you can and stay logged onto the computer as long as you want. As though your parents have moved away and left the computer room to you and your friends to do what you want when you want.

Northwest Community College is joining up with a number of other colleges in British Columbia and the Yukon to develop a new an innovative Information Technology program.

Accessing the participation of such major industry players as Cisco, Microsoft the Canadian Information Processing Society and the Information and Communications Technology Council, the program is designed to bring the best in computer training to the Northwest.

The Daily News featured details in the Tuesday paper, of the program that is taking computer technology knowledge to a new standard.

Students hook up with college's new IT program
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Northwest Community College (NWCC) is among a group of colleges that is encouraging students to play videogames and spent more time on the Internet.

Joining forces with College of New Caledonia (CNC), Northern Lights College (NL), and Yukon College, NWCC has developed a new and innovative Information Technology program.
Developed under the umbrella of the Northern Collaborative Information Technology program (NCIT), the program will be delivered through a combination of online and videoconference with hands-on learning that uses a variety of applications such as game development and social media.

Development of the program was done with significant input from business and industry including CIPS (Canadian Information Processing Society), ICTC (Information and Communications Technology Council), CISCO, and Microsoft.

"The participation of these organizations has been vital to the creation of the program," said Dave O'Leary, Dean of Trades & Technology at NWCC. "They have brought ideas, resources, and support to the table that elevate the program to a new standard and ensures it incorporates leading edge technology and applications. These are some of the potential employers of our graduates and they have helped develop the program so that it meets the industry's HR needs."

An example of the contributions made to the program from industry include Microsoft's donation of full access to their XNA Game Development platform and Robotics Studio. Use of gaming applications is a unique feature of the program and provides a relevant and engaging way to introduce students to programming and its applications and creativity.

"Microsoft has a long history of supporting post-secondary education," said John Oxley of Microsoft Canada. "This unique cyberspace approach to the delivery of ICT training is a real step forward in meeting the current critical shortage of ICT Professionals."

"CIPS is thrilled to see a college program that makes professionalism a key component of the students' curriculum," said Stephen Ibaraki, FCIPS, I.S.P. (CIPS President 2007-2008). "This is a direct response to the stated needs of Business and Industry."

The collaborative development of this program is funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education through the Northern Post-Secondary Council (NPSC).

"The NPSC was formed to enhance post-secondary opportunities and services in the north," said Stephanie Forsyth, president NWCC and chair of NPSC.

"The new NCIT program is an excellent example of the innovation that occurs when institutions and industry corroboratively draw upon their strengths to bring the very best training to northerners. This is an exciting program that is a cut above anything we have seen in the country."

NCIT is a dual credit program offering a one-year certificate and two-year diploma.
This year, the program is offered at Northwest Community College as the Computer Technology program.

In 2009, the program will add the diploma level and change to the Information & Communications Technology Professional Program.