Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, later today I will table the Aurora College Annual Report for 1999-2000. Aurora College is the higher education and training centre for the Northwest Territories. The three college campuses in Fort Smith, Inuvik and Yellowknife, in addition to distance learning opportunities in many other communities, help to ensure that Northerners have the skills and training they need to move confidently toward the future. The college is enjoying success in many areas.
More than 70 students are enrolled in the Aurora College Teacher Education Program. This is a significant increase over recent years and will be reflected in increased graduation rates by 2003. This year, approximately 100 former graduates are teaching or are in education-related positions in the Northwest Territories. Three of these are new school principals and one has recently become a director of a district education council.
The college also takes pride in its nursing program. In December, 12 students completed the Aurora College Nursing Program and became registered nurses. Their accomplishment will be recognized when they convocate on May 5.
Equally significant is the revitalized social work program currently being delivered at Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith. This program is delivered in partnership with the University of Regina and college graduates will have two years of fully transferable credits to the U of R's Bachelor of Social Work program. Currently, 11 full-time students and 14 part-time students are enrolled in the program.
At Aurora College in Inuvik, training courses related to the oil and gas industry have taken off over the past two years. Currently, there are 26 students enrolled in oil and gas related training, an 18 percent increase over last year. The college has recently hired an industrial oil and gas training coordinator in anticipation of expanding training needs in that industry.
This new position is part of a larger industrial training team that has recently been assembled by the college. Industrial training coordinators are now in place at each campus. Mine training will be coordinated from the Yellowknife campus. General trades training will be coordinated from Fort Smith. This new team will work directly with industry to ensure training programs lead Northerners to employment in the Northwest Territories workforce.
All these activities support the Government of the Northwest Territories' goal of maximizing northern employment. The college is preparing Northerners for the workforce. The Government of the Northwest Territories will do its part by guaranteeing employment to all graduates of the teaching and nursing programs. Term employment within government will also be provided for those graduating from other programs.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate past, current and future graduates of Aurora College. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause