Lethbridge College engineering program receives national accreditation

Technology Accreditation Canada (TAC) has granted Lethbridge College’s Civil Engineering Technology Program national program accreditation.

The accreditation will provide benefits to the program’s graduating students, such as the flexibility to work anywhere in Canada.

The School of Engineering Technologies at Lethbridge College has now received accreditation for all three of its programs.

TAC Executive Director Richard Stamper says when choosing a program for national accreditation, it is important to see if it prepares students well enough to start working in their desired field.

“The way that the world works is that there is not a lot of hand-holding out in industry,” Stamper said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The way that the world works is that there is not a lot of hand-holding out in industry," Stamper said.

“When you hire someone, there is some training but it’s not like you’re job-shadowing someone. You’ve got to hit the ground running. You’ve got to get in that seat, so to speak, and you have to be productive.”

The program underwent extensive auditing in order to receive the national recognition, including audits of the facilities, curriculum, student support services and program information.

A series of interviews with program alumni, employers, faculty and students were also conducted.

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Bill Smienk, chair of the School of Engineering Technologies at Lethbridge College, says employers recognize the value of accreditation, so it was important for the program to receive this award.

“We currently have many successful graduates in excellent careers as project managers involved in various infrastructure projects all over western Canada and beyond,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We currently have many successful graduates in excellent careers as project managers involved in various infrastructure projects all over western Canada and beyond," he said.

“The TAC seal of approval validates the excellent educational experience of our students, recognizes the program has met the standards of the profession and that graduates have the knowledge and skills to function competently in the workforce.”

Program officials say accreditation will not just look good for the program itself, but will also boost students’ confidence that they are developing the right skill set for their future careers.

TAC will reevaluate Lethbridge College’s Civil Engineering Technology Program to ensure it continues to meet standards for accreditation every five years.