NBCC expands programs in 'priority sectors' of economy, despite revenue loss

The New Brunswick Community College has expanded its programs in health, education and construction trades, after having to cut some positions and programming because of government policy changes.

Earlier this year, the college reduced service levels, suspending 20 cohorts, or program groups, across the Saint John, Moncton, Saint Andrews, Fredericton and Miramichi campuses, and cutting 66 staff positions from administration to front-line staff.

The cuts in some areas and expansion in others are the result of the provincial and federal governments' increased emphasis on some sectors, and a curtailment in the number of international students who can enrol, NBCC president and CEO Mary Butler said.

Some suspended programs were not cancelled permanently, but others have been dropped for good.

In the fall NBCC expects to welcome around 1,250 international students, a 39 per cent drop from the 2024-2025 academic year because of a lower immigration cap introduced by the federal government last year. 

Millions lost with drop in international students

The result is a projected $12 million loss in revenue from international tuition over two years — $3 million in 2024-2025 and $9 million in 2025-2026, Butler said.

Because of the revenue loss, and funding that hasn't increased, the college has already 66 cut positions, although only eight are actual layoffs. More than half are positions eliminated through retirement or vacant for other reasons, and 26 positions were contracts not being renewed after their term ends.

Meanwhile, the college will be opening 13 new program groups, called cohorts, in the three priority fields, and the response has been good.

"We're seeing not just international students taking interest in those programs because that's a pathway to potential immigration," Butler said. "We are also seeing domestic learners hearing the same message about how important those areas are."

The program groups will add 287 more students, with 200 new seats in skilled trades, 55 in early childhood and community services, and 32 in health-care programs. 

However, other sectors of the New Brunswick economy in need of workers won't be ignored, Butler said.

Hospitality, tourism, forestry, and food processing are among the fields that have a lot of employment opportunities but where a shortage of workers can limit their production capacity and competitiveness in the market. 

Butler said NBCC is looking to find a balance, focusing on the priority sectors without leaving out industries that also require skilled workers. 

"Even last year we saw businesses that were only open for partial hours or certain days of the week because of having a shortage of workers," she said. "So we are just trying to spread the word out there that there are lots of opportunities." 

Priority sectors mean added costs

She also said the program expansions would be 40 per cent costlier because of greater operational costs.

In an email statement, NBCC said the operational costs are higher because some programs in priority sectors require more specialized equipment.

Butler said that these additional costs have made it more difficult for the college to support students without the aid of international tuition.

"Our costs are going up, the number of learners we're serving is going up, but our grant is unchanged," she said. "Having international students certainly helped us to be able to do that without relying on the province." 

Butler said the college will continue to lobby government to reconsider policies related to immigration targets, highlighting New Brunswick's "unique position," of needing people to fill a growing number of job vacancies. 

The government policy changes have hurt the college's efforts to serve more students seeking a post-secondary education and its ability to help create a competitive workforce for New Brunswick.

"There's a lot of challenges before us, and I think it's really going to take all hands on deck to solve it."