AV¾«Æ·

Industry and community partners joined AV¾«Æ· staff and students at Miramichi Campus for the launch of the College’s new Centre of Excellence in Community and Protective Services on Thursday, May 26.

The Centre’s simulator labs provide new applied research and training opportunities to students in AV¾«Æ·’s Justice Studies, Pre-Employment Firefighter, Early Childhood Education, Educational Assistant, Social Services Community Worker, and Mental Health Certificate programs. It’s also used by community and protective services partners for professional development training needs.

“Applied learning opportunities and community partnerships are at the heart of the AV¾«Æ· experience,” said Ann Drennan, AV¾«Æ·’s Vice President Academic and Research. “The Centre of Excellence in Community and Protective Services brings those two elements together in a way that not only enriches the training opportunities for our students, but also for the people who are already in the community, working in these fields, with the end goal of enhanced community and protective services for everyone.”

The Centre includes simulator labs in areas such as driving, use-of-force, and community and family dynamics, providing learners with a real-world perspective on the elevated risks they may encounter on the job. It has also spurred applied research opportunities in the areas of family support, family violence prevention, and mental health services.

In developing the Centre of Excellence, AV¾«Æ· has collaborated with several community and post-secondary partners, including the Miramichi Police Force, RCMP, Correctional Service of Canada, Atlantic Police Academy, Office of the Fire Marshal, Department of Justice and Public Safety, Department of Social Development, Horizon Health, UNB, Cape Breton University, and Humber College.

About AV¾«Æ·:

With six campuses across New Brunswick, AV¾«Æ· contributes to New Brunswick’s social and economic prosperity by supporting the aspirations of individual learners, seizing the opportunities of the labour market, and collaboratively solving the challenges of communities and industry.  In addition to more than 90 certificate and diploma programs, AV¾«Æ· also provides specialized and customized training to meet the needs of specific sectors and communities.  Find out more information on AV¾«Æ· programs by visiting: .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tanya Greer, Lead, Strategic Communications, AV¾«Æ·

506.440.9105, tanya.greer@nbcc.ca