North Island College (NIC) is encouraging people to explore their education options and career opportunities at its open campus festivals across the region this month.
The next NIC FEST 2023 open house and career fair happens at the Comox Valley campus on Wednesday, March 22, from 3:30 to 7 p.m.
“We have a range of programs. We have a range of delivery modes. We offer many opportunities to learn close to home,” said Diane Naugler, executive director, community engagement.
NIC FEST aims to support anyone thinking about trying a new career pathway in an ever-changing job market or exploring what they want to do for their career when they first enter the workforce. It will appeal to people looking to upgrade skills, especially those new to the region who want to find out about NIC and former NIC students who attended years ago and wish to see what’s new.
NIC has held open house events for the community before. These were put on hold in recent years as a COVID-19 precaution. Similar events in the past have focused on secondary students wondering what they want to do once they finish school.
This time, NIC FEST will be more localized, with events set for the Campbell River, Comox Valley and Port Alberni campuses on different days. These highlight education and career paths available in each region.
The events will give an opportunity to explore the campus, take self-guided and guided tours, or visit classrooms, labs and studios. There will also be time to meet faculty members, have career conversations with employers, learn about student services and supports and, of course, enter to win a $1,000 tuition award and a #YourNorth prize pack.
The Comox Valley event will also feature keynote speaker Sean Aiken, who will speak on his One-Week Job Project – where he tried out a different job each week for a year. He’ll share the various adventures his journey took him on and the valuable life and career lessons he discovered along the way.
For more information, including details on the Campbell River and Port Alberni events, follow NIC on Instagram or Facebook, or see www.nic.bc.ca/nicfest.