Education

9 SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2023 EDUCATION GUIDE assiniboine.net/elevateaward POST-GRAD PROGRAMS AT ASSINIBOINE Full-tuition awards available University Grads Can Level Up Training at Assiniboine, With Full Tuition Covered ASSINIBOINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE "O ur post-graduate credentials are a great opportunity for new university graduates who want to hone their practical skills in a chosen field, or for those who've been work- ing in their industry for any number of years and want to sharpen or expand their skill set," said Mark Frison, President at Assiniboine. Jeremy Lennon-Gibson graduated from Assiniboine's Public Safety advanced diplo- ma program after receiving a degree in rhetoric, writing and communications from the University of Winnipeg. He now works as a Commu- nity Safety Officer in Ste. Anne, Manitoba, and says that his university experience provided him with transferable skills that aided his success at Assiniboine. "So the advanced diploma pro- gram works really well because your degree will prepare you more for the classroom work. And it gives you that sense of "okay, well I'm working towards a legitimate career," he said. "I wouldn't be where I am now without the Public Safety program." Lennon-Gibson said he made the right choice in taking the program. "It's been, honestly, the best decision I've ever made, I would say if you're looking for something that's going to give you purpose, if you're not quite sure that the path you're on is the one for you, it's never too late to try something new. You're never wasting your time with education." Sustainable Food Systems graduate Carlie Johnston came to Assiniboine after receiving her Bachelor of Medical Science with honours in biochemistry from the University of Western Ontario. Following three summers of employment at the Brandon Research and Development Centre, she realized she was passionate about agriculture and sustainability. "The instructors were all so knowledge- able and professional. They really took the time to ensure we were ready for employ- ability when we graduated. The hands-on learning, I felt, really prepared us for em- ployment compared to what I had expe- rienced in the past with post-secondary, which always involved a lot of theory and studies," she said. "I figured once I got my university educa- tion that I was set on my path. I was caught off guard about the program and how much I learned. It was a perfect fit for me, and I never expected to be there, but I'm so glad I was. It was a great transition from my biochemistry background to the agricul- ture field that I wanted to be a part of." Assiniboine's Elevate Award is a new op- portunity for students looking to enhance their professional skills, specialize their ex- pertise or focus their career-relevant train- ing. It provides recipients with the cost of full tuition for the college's advanced diplo- ma programs. "Many sectors throughout Manitoba re- port a labour shortage—skills and knowl- edge are in high demand," Frison said. "We hope this will open a door for post-second- ary grads that they may not have previ- ously contemplated, to enhance their em- ployability, increasing knowledge in their existing field or diving into a new area of expertise." To find out more about the awards and post-graduate programs, visit assiniboine.net/elevateaward. SUPPLIED PHOTO Carlie Johnston, Sustainable Foods System student in 2021. The instructors were all so know- ledgeable and professional. They really took the time to ensure we were ready for employability when we graduated. — Carlie Johnston, Sustainable Food Systems Graduate Experienced learners have their next chapter waiting for them at Assiniboine Community College through a variety of post-graduate programs. A bonus—they could receive this next level of training with tuition fully covered thanks to Assiniboine's new Elevate Award.

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