More changes in the works at Sault College

Sault College has been spending time recently figuring out what it's really good at.

Former Ontario Premier Bob Rae's Postsecondary Review has been talking a lot about specialization and Sault College President Tim Meyer and Chair Jim Boniferro are talking about how they see that concept being applied in Sault Ste. Marie.

Meyer said the college will offer programs of excellence in areas it chooses to specialize in, while continuing to offer a broad spectrum of programming to balance its approach to specialization.

"We'll pick areas to specialize in and be noted in but also maintain as comprehensive a spectrum of programming as we can provide to the community," he said.

Possible downside

Meyer cautioned that specialization can have a downside.

"It has to be properly managed," he said.

"Specialization represents the ability to respond to needs that may be unique to the community and that you could share in a larger community."

"The downside of specialization is that you could lose the comprehensiveness of programs," Meyer added.

Meyer says that specialization is already happening in postsecondary facilities across the province as a result of their efforts to compete for students and to create lucrative partnerships with industry.

"It's just sort of naturally sorting itself out because all colleges can’t be all things to smaller communities," he says.

Meyer cites Northern College's mining program at Haileybury School of Mines and Sault College's Aviation program to show how programs can be created in sectors of the economy that would be well supported by partners in those sectors.

Meyer also indicated that Sault College plans to expand its aviation school specialty to include all forms of transportation.

Areas of specialization the college is exploring:

- transportation: planes, trains and automobiles

- health care: occupational and physiotherapist assistants as well as their four-year nursing program

- natural resources: current forestry, fish and wildlife management plus outdoor recreation

- skilled trades: technicians and technologists in electrical, electronics, mechanical and other fields

- hospitality and tourism: hotel and restaurant management, food services and the new resort management program

- Anishnawbe services: Anishnabowin enrichment program as well as the social services worker with a mental health post program opportunity and new programs to be developed