College of New Caledonia President and CEO Cindy Heitman is focused on one thing: aligning education with the realities of northern life. Based in Prince George, she leads an institution serving a vast and diverse region.
“We have been working on a lot of projects… really focusing on industry,” she says, pointing to a shift in how post-secondary education operates in the North.
Building skills where they are needed most
Heitman’s approach reflects a broader change. Schools are no longer designing programs in isolation. They are responding directly to workforce needs. That includes resource development, healthcare and community services.
She describes northern education as inherently collaborative. “Living in the North is unique,” she says. “We are part of a northern post-secondary collaborative… providing opportunities for people who live all across the North.”
This collaboration spans institutions and sectors. It also reflects geography. Northern B.C. covers immense distances, with communities often far from traditional campuses. That reality shapes how education must be delivered.
A simple idea with measurable results
One of the most effective initiatives came from a healthcare campaign developed with Northern Health and four northern post-secondary institutions.
The idea was straightforward. Send a postcard to every household across the region. Invite people to consider training for healthcare careers in their own communities.
The reach was significant. “Seventy per cent of the province, geographically, is a massive area,” Heitman notes.
The results followed. Coast Mountain College saw a 45 per cent increase in healthcare enrolment. Across the region, the average increase was five per cent.
The innovation was not complex technology or new infrastructure. It was access. “On that postcard, each institution had a QR code,” she says. “It would take a prospective student right to our website.”
The lesson is clear. Meeting people where they are can unlock participation. In the North, that often means removing small but critical barriers.
Linking healthcare to resource development
At the BC Natural Resources Forum, Heitman connected education to another pressing issue: workforce gaps in resource projects.
Healthcare is not confined to hospitals. Large projects rely on on-site medical staff to support workers in camps and remote operations.
“We have massive resource projects that have camps,” she says. “Part of that is having healthcare professionals working in these camps.”
This need is growing. It also represents an opportunity. Training northern residents for these roles keeps skills and employment in the region.
For industry, the message is practical. Workforce challenges can be addressed through partnerships with local institutions. For educators, it reinforces the importance of designing programs with real-world applications.
A more flexible model of education
Heitman is clear that traditional models are no longer enough.
“What we remember about post-secondary education being very traditional and regimented… it isn’t what we’re trying to do anymore,” she says.
Instead, institutions are becoming more responsive. Programs are tailored. Delivery is flexible. Partnerships are central.
This shift also carries a message for policymakers. “Listen to the innovation,” Heitman says. “Ask those questions about what we’re doing now that’s different.”
The goal is to create stronger linkages. Between education and industry. Between communities and opportunity.
A decade of change begins now
Looking ahead, Heitman sees a turning point.
“I think 2026 is going to be one of those years where we see big change,” she says.
In northern B.C., that change will be intentional. It will focus on building the economy through targeted skills and stronger collaboration.
The early signs are already visible. New partnerships. Growing enrolment. Better alignment between training and jobs.
For Heitman, the outlook is measured but optimistic. The region is not just adapting. It is beginning to define what the next decade could look like.
Ian Biana writes for the Resource Works Accelerate team and can be reached at [email protected].
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