Post-secondary education expanding for students on the Westshore

Courtesy of hcma

The new campus will feature a welcome/gathering space on the first floor, with a view of the multipurpose room.

“The people of the Westshore have waited a long time to have another post-secondary campus in their community,” said Premier John Horgan, MLA for Langford-Juan de Fuca. “Residents will now be able to further their education right here at home without needing to live in – or commute to – another city. I know this will encourage even more people in the Westshore to get an education that is the key to future prosperity. British Columbia will have one million job openings in the coming decade. Four of every five of those jobs will require a post-secondary education or specialized skills training. Our government will continue to make the investments necessary to ensure the skills gap is closed.”

The campus in downtown Langford is a first-of-its-kind partnership between Royal Roads University (RRU), the University of Victoria (UVic), Camosun College and the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC). It will also include space for programming by School District 62 (Sooke).

It will serve the educational needs of students from Sooke and the Westshore municipalities of Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Metchosin and Highlands. The new campus will serve students from First Nations throughout southern Vancouver Island, particularly those on the Westshore, including T’Sou-ke (Sooke), Pacheedaht (Port Renfrew), Scia’new (Beecher Bay), Xwsepsum (Esquimalt), Lekwungen (Songhees) and Malahat.

“A new Westshore campus breaks down physical barriers to accessing high-quality education closer to home for students living in the region. Camosun has been offering courses at many locations in the Westshore for a number of years, such as Belmont Secondary school where over 600 students have already taken our programs. New space will allow the college to add diploma and certificate programming in computer systems technology, early learning and care, and health-care assistance.”

- Lane Trotter, president, Camosun College 

The region has lower-than-average direct-to-post-secondary transition rates (38% compared to the provincial average of 51%), with residents identifying long commutes as one of the barriers to pursuing post-secondary education. Significant population growth is projected to continue over the next decade on the Westshore, and the community has more residents under the age of 15 than the rest of the province.

“This unique and innovative campus is a fantastic example of post-secondary institutions collaborating to invest in students, and the programs and infrastructure they need to be future ready for their careers,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training. “This new model brings the strengths of four post-secondary institutions closer to people so that they can pursue the education they need to help build a stronger B.C.”

Programs and micro-credentials offered will include a new common foundations program to prepare students for a variety of fields. This will be offered for business, hospitality, environmental practice and communications studies at RRU. UVic will offer computer science, engineering and humanities courses. Camosun College will offer health-care assistant and educational assistant training, and JIBC will offer paramedic and first-responder training. Adult upgrading and education programs will also be offered from School District 62.

The five-storey mass timber building will include flexible learning spaces and classrooms, student supports, a multi-purpose classroom called the Innovation Studio, and space for Indigenous gatherings. The project is planned to meet the Zero Carbon Building design standard, the first public post-secondary institution in B.C. to target this, in addition to targeting LEED Gold certification. Both standards are administered by the Canada Green Building Council.

The $98-million project includes a $77.8-million investment from the provincial government for the construction of the building, and $18.5 million from Royal Roads University for the land purchase plus an additional $500,000 for capital costs. Additional capital contributions include $1 million from the University of Victoria and $200,000 from Camosun College.

The City of Langford has committed to invest in parking for the campus, as well as road infrastructure upgrades valued at $27.5 million, including $1.5 million in funding over 10 years for development and support of the Innovation Studio. As part of the commitment to the project, the city has formed a Langford Education Fund, contributing $75,000 annually for five years to support local youth graduating high school that want to attend post-secondary in Langford.

“This investment is so important for students,” said Philip Steenkamp, president, Royal Roads University, on behalf of the partner institutions. “As we see many more people looking for post-secondary training, this campus will allow us and our partners to offer an expanded suite of options for learners at every age and stage.”

The campus is anticipated to open in fall 2024 with approximately 600 students. By 2035-36, at full capacity, the campus will serve an estimated 1,300 full-time students.

Funding for the new post-secondary campus on the Westshore is part of StrongerBC’s Future Ready Plan. Future Ready is making education and training more accessible, affordable and relevant to help businesses grow and prepare British Columbians for the jobs of tomorrow.

BC is expecting 1 million new skilled job openings over the next 10 years and people will need access to education opportunities in their communities. To help students get future ready, we're building a new learning centre in the #Westshore. https://t.co/itj1vNl89tpic.twitter.com/9c5HplwQeP

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) August 3, 2022