GRANDE PRAIRIE – Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) is expanding its partnership with the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) to increase degree completion options in northwestern Alberta.

Starting in Fall 2019, GPRC is collaborating with SAIT to offer a four-year Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Management on the College’s Grande Prairie campus.

“Our students and business leaders across northwestern Alberta told GPRC they want and need business degree options in the region. This expanded partnership fills that need and keeps our students close to home,” said President and CEO Don Gnatiuk. 

This builds on the existing collaboration with SAIT launched in 2017 to offer the Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Accounting.

“SAIT’s growing partnership with GPRC helps address the demand for industry-ready graduates required in Northwest Alberta. We are pleased to continue providing more choice to students as the economy grows and diversifies,” said Dr. David Ross, SAIT President and CEO.

Elizabeth Vidrih, a second-year GPRC business student, has a number of business ideas in the back of her mind that she wants to pursue once she completes the business degree in management at GPRC.

Vidrih decided she wanted a career change and returned to school after seven years of working as an early childcare educator. She enrolled in business at GPRC and planned to take the accounting major.

However, after getting hands-on learning experiences through GPRC’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge, in which she led a team and worked with community mentors and organizations to complete a project, Vidrih decided she wanted to change programs. She liked the challenge and creativity of coming up with solutions to complete a project more than accounting.

“That’s all thanks to GPRC for bringing in these hands-on learning experiences,” she said. “I loved it. I absolutely enjoyed the experience.”

She decided to switch to the management diploma program and then learned of GPRC’s new partnership with SAIT. It fit perfectly with her goal to complete her degree, stay in Grande Prairie and move her career path into business management.

“I absolutely thrilled I’m going to get to complete my degree at GPRC,” said Vidrih. “It’s expanding the opportunities for students and creating more options to keep our graduates in our region.”

To learn more, or to register for the program, please email SAIT School of Business Academic Advising at business.advising@sait.ca, call 403-284-8485, or head to the GPRC Business and Office Administration department webpage.

Elizabeth Vidrih

Information provided by GPRC.