Study More
You may have decided to leave school before finishing Grade 12 and are now wondering how you can complete your high school education. You may be thinking about further developing your skills through a technical training program or apprenticeship. Or it could be that you’ve been thinking about attending one of BC’s colleges or universities.
The important thing to remember is there are many different ways you can begin your career in mineral exploration and mining. Whatever your background or level of education, there’s a place to start for everyone.
Complete Grade 12
You may have decided to leave school before graduating. And while there are opportunities available to you without your Grade 12 diploma or a GED (General Education Development) certificate, you have a lot more options if you have your Grade 12 or equivalent.
But it’s important to remember, some college and most university programs don’t count the GED as equivalent to high school completion. So, if you’re thinking about post-secondary education, talk to someone at your local AHRDA office or someone in your local school district’s continuing education program, to make sure you’re on the right track.
Thinking about college or university?
If you search “mining” on the www.educationplanner.bc.ca site, you’ll get a list of all the mining-related education programs in BC. You can also check out the programs at some of these BC colleges and universities. Some colleges don’t offer specific mining or mineral exploration programs, so remember to use the search function to help you find what you’re looking for.
- BCIT - BC Institute of Technology*
- Camosun College
- College of New Caledonia
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Northern Lights College
- Northwest Community College School of Exploration and Mining*
- Okanagan College
- Thompson Rivers University*
- College of the Rockies
- Malispina University/College
- North Island College
- Simon Fraser University
- University of British Columbia
Scholarship programs
There are many scholarships, bursaries and grants available to Aboriginal students to help pay for your next steps in education. You can find out more information using the links below, but you should also contact your local Band office because often local communities offer educational funding too:
- Aboriginal Learning Links
- UBC financial assistance
- AMMSA Scholarship / Bursary Guide
- Many Nations Financial Services
- National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation Bursaries & Scholarships
- Aboriginal Bursary Search
- Canada Student Loans program
Your program coach can also help with gaining prerequisites once you have a personal plan in place. They can also provide ongoing support and can help find a tutor if you need one.
“What I enjoy most about working in this sector is that I’m in control of my own determination and have an ability to bring about change. It’s also great that many Aboriginal people like me have the chance to live and work in or near our own communities, making a decent wage, and ensuring we can continue to practice our culture while supporting our families well.”
Walter Smith, B.Ed. Métis
Manager of Northern Affairs, Cameco Corporation
Real Life Stories
Jennifer Camille
Jennifer, a 53-year old member of the Skeetchestn Indian Band, had never been employed anywhere other than with her Band. She was frightened and nervous about working off reserve, but very determined to do so. In the spring of 2010, Jennifer completed an application with the BC AMTA, wrote the Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES) Assessment, completed a month of Essential Skills Upgrading and spent a great deal of time speaking with BC AMTA program coaches about her fears of entering into an unknown workforce.