Message to the CMTN Community
July 11, 2022
It is my honour to be the next President and CEO of Coast Mountain College, as of August 16th (I am interim until then). For the past six years I have continually been impressed by the dedication and creativity of the CMTN community in providing quality, hands-on education and ensuring safe and welcoming environments for our students. Whether your work is in the classroom, the kitchen, or the office, you are an integral part of student success.
2022 is a challenging time for the CMTN community. Locally, we are facing a severe housing shortage and businesses in the area are suffering from a lack of staff. Provincially, we are in the midst of a post-secondary funding review and will soon have a change of Premier. Globally, we are still in a pandemic that seems to change course with each passing month. And yet, through all of the grief and stress of the past two years, the CMTN community has demonstrated resilience and strength.
Going forward, there is work to be done. We are five years into our ten-year strategic plan to become the college of choice for experiential, place-based learning by 2027. We are investing heavily in domestic and local student recruitment to boost our student numbers. And, we have a role to play provincially in helping fill the estimated one million job vacancies over the next decade, 80% of which will require post-secondary education. Together, we can continue to move forward and make a difference for our learners and communities.
I hope this summer brings you some rest and rejuvenation for the academic year ahead. We are fortunate to be able to launch into the 2022-2023 academic year with a Galts’ap Day that features a totem pole raising outside Wii Gyemsiga Siwilaawksat at the Terrace campus and a celebration of the accomplishments of many of our employees. I look forward to seeing you there.
With gratitude,
Laurie