For immediate release
June 15, 2012

Keyano gearing up for rapid growth

The Keyano College Board of Governors approved a $79 million dollar balanced budget in the public portion of their June meeting. Designed around the fiscal realities of a 2 per cent increase in operating funds from Enterprise & Advanced Education combined with a claw-back of both conditional and apprenticeship grants, the 2012-13 Budget optimizes resources and opportunities for future growth.

“The government has made it very clear that it is looking to us to work collaboratively and cooperatively across Campus Alberta and with our regional and industry partners to address the skill shortage,” said Ann Everatt, Vice President, Academic, Keyano College.

“This budget will position us to deliver a program and service mix that proactively responds to existing and emerging regional needs.  We are moving towards a more integrated, collaborative model of program delivery, one that will enable us to offer programs that are best-in-class and effectively connect our students with jobs. We will be looking to partner with other institutions to deliver a wide range of quality programs to the growing population of Wood Buffalo.”

The 2012-13 Budget will facilitate the delivery of new high demand diploma programs in engineering technology and business including the introduction of a new 4-year Bachelor of Business Administration degree.  New apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs along with a new Social Work diploma and Culinary Arts courses will also be delivered within this fiscal framework.

“We have made tremendous progress on many of the objectives set out in our Comprehensive Institutional Plan,” said Dr. Kevin Nagel, President & CEO, Keyano College.

“This budget captures our continued interest and commitment to enhance collaboration with our regional partners, school districts and other post-secondary institutions. It also positions us well to enhance our collaboration with community and other interest groups. In this regard, we look forward to working with the new Arts Council Wood Buffalo and other community groups in respect to developing relevant new credit and non-credit arts programming options and alternatives for our community.”

With government funding continuing to be limited in the immediate future, the 2012-13 Budget includes initiatives that will help strengthen Keyano’s financial sustainability.

“There is no question that we have to become more entrepreneurial,” said John Wilson, Chair, Board of Governors.

“Through the establishment of the Keyano College Land Trust and our on-going evaluation of a number of other revenue-generation initiatives, we are seeking to reduce our dependency on provincial government funding that in turn, will enable us to be more responsive to our region’s needs for educated, skilled and technically trained workers of all kinds.”

“The overall result of this budget,” continued Wilson, “will be a greater selection of quality program and services for residents in our region, enhanced public access to Keyano College programs, services and assets, and enhanced college sustainability.  The innovative and progressive approach of the board, executive, faculty and staff has made this possible.”

For more information, please contact:

Kiran Malik-Khan
Communications Specialist
Marketing & Communications
Keyano College
780-791-8971
Kiran.Malik-Khan@keyano.ca

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