Private school owner wants equal opportunity in N.B. free tuition program

The New Brunswick government is being called on to level the playing field for privately operated post-secondary institutions.

READ MORE: Credit check remains issue of concern in Tuition Access Bursary plan

The president of Ready Arc Training & Testing in Saint John – which specializes in welding on pipelines – said numbers have dropped since the government introduced the Tuition Access Bursary, which provides free tuition for eligible students attending publicly funded post secondary institutions.

“Our recruitment numbers dropped the following session,” said Jason Martin.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Our recruitment numbers dropped the following session," said Jason Martin.

That’s not the main issue for Martin, however. He said the training aspect only accounts for a portion of his overall business. His concern surrounds the detrimental effect it’s having on students who would like to take his program.

“We offer a very unique and very special training in welding,” Martin explained. “Those students that want to participate in that type of training don’t have the support of the province behind them the way their counterparts might in the public school system.”

READ MORE: NB defends student access to Tuition Access Bursary

Martin said there are waiting lists for standard welding programs at the New Brunswick Community College.

Recent Ready Arc graduate Jenna Novak said going on a waiting list was not an option.

“For me it was get in, get it done, get the best skills I can while getting it done and getting a job as soon as I get out,” Novak said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "For me it was get in, get it done, get the best skills I can while getting it done and getting a job as soon as I get out," Novak said.

She feels Ready Arc allows her to do that.

“We’re definitely better trained here which makes us better for outside of school and makes us better for careers in general.”

READ MORE: New Brunswick government defends Tuition Access Bursary

Martin said he doesn’t want special treatment, just equal opportunity with public schools to give people fair access to his program.

Post Secondary Education Minister Donald Arseneault’s office said the minister can’t comment because of court action involving some private institutions and the free tuition program.