“I hope people will say that the College really extended into the community.”
That’s coming from College of New Caledonia President Cindy Heitman, who sat down with Vista Radio for a year-end interview.
Heitman said 2025 was focused on reconnecting and re-establishing relationships within the communities the College serves.
“When I think back to the events, everything from hosting an alumni event, to our most recent donor appreciation night, it really is about building those relationships,” Heitman said.
One of the more notable partnerships came with the Prince George Kodiaks Football Club.
“It was an opportunity for us to try something different,” Heitman said.
“How do you build school spirit, get some sporting back into the College, and we see it as very successful. It was a partnership where we support the Kodiaks in recruiting players, and the Kodiaks support the College with providing opportunities for those players to attend CNC.”
“We do see a continued emphasis on building partnerships with Community,” Heitman continued.
“Whether it’s sporting partnerships like the Kodiaks one, or partnership with industry. I think that the communities in the North are really invested in education and post-secondary education. They’re looking for skilled employees to hire, and the role CNC can play in that is really critical as they’re developing their workforces. I do see continued opportunities with partnerships and particularly with industries.”
Heitman said while there’s no conversations to bring more of that to College at this time, CNC is open to having those conversations.
“We’re really looking to modernize our practices here, we’re really looking to re-establish CNC as that pillar within Prince George,” she said.
“CNC is deeply rooted in the community, and it doesn’t matter where you go, somebody will have some type of connection, whether it’s a student, or to an event, or child who’s been here. I think that there is always an open door to establishing partnerships for the North.”
2025 has held its fair share of negatives for the College as well.
“It is a really difficult time for the College right now, and unfortunately, so much of it is beyond our control,” Heitman said.
“I think what we’re really trying to do is, how do we recover from this restructure that’s needing to be done across the sector, across the country, CNC isn’t excluded from that. We’re really focusing on moving forward together, and how do we establish ourselves so that we are sustainable, so we can grow and continue to thrive here in the north.”
Heitman said the college is looking at program diversifications and continued partnerships.
“I think another one that is really worthy of talking about is the MOU with the Lheidli T’enneh, and I know our Vice President of Indigenization is working with other Indigenous communities which we serve to create some of those partnerships,” she said.
“We know we can’t do the same thing that we’ve always done, we’re going to have to do things different, and how we are going to do that together.”
Heitman noted the College’s six campuses covers a large geographic area, serving 22 First Nations.
“We have realized that not all of our service delivery models in those small regions are reaching the learners that we would like to reach,” she explained.
“In partnership with First Nations, through Memorandum of Understandings and agreements, working with the communities, how do we reach into those remote areas to provide education as well.”
Heitman added one thing the College will be looking at is increasing access to learning.
“Access can be through virtual opportunities, through partnership opportunities, how do we take learning into the community,” she said.
“Based on a very traditional model where it’s an expectation that people come to us to learn, but how do we go to communities to provide those opportunities.”
Heitman added what the College is hearing from industry is that they are in dire need of employees.
“The conversations we’ve had with them is really what skills do they need, and is there an opportunity for us to work with you to get employees for your particular industry, everything from in mining to construction to technologies to even forestry,”
“Forestry is diversified, it’s very different now, but there is a need for a workforce in those areas. It’s having individual conversations with partners, and with industry who are looking to be partners with CNC to provide training for our workforce.”
Heitman took the time to thank the community for their continued support of the College.
“We’re really, really happy that we are in the position we’re in to be able to provide the service to the communities in which we really believe in.”
Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
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