Yukon College cuts enhanced language training program

Whitehorse is losing a program that has helped newcomers to the territory learn English, find jobs in their field and develop life-long connections in the community.

This is the last year Yukon College will be offering its enhanced language training program. The program, which graduated more than 160 students in its 10 years, was for English-as-a-second-language students with significant education, training and work experience.

"People who were PhDs couldn't even get a job at the Shoppers Drug Mart, but through the program ended up integrating into the community, getting jobs in their fields and actually making a difference," said Jeff Wolosewich, who worked as an instructor with the program for two years.

"It's a special program for sure."

Many success stories

In addition to offering language training, the program taught students about Canadian culture and provided tricks to living in the North. 

About 40 former students and their families celebrated 10 years of the program with past and present program instructors at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre last week. 

Wolosewich said the program helped many. He recalled one former student from Colombia who had worked as an anti-money-laundering expert at the biggest bank in that country, yet when he landed in the Yukon as a non-English speaker, the only job he could get was at Tim Hortons.

Wolosewich said that thanks to the program, this man was hired into a finance position with the Yukon government. 

"He's a huge success story," he said. 

Former student Viktor Zsohar is another success story. He worked as a metallurgical engineer in Hungary, but struggled to find work in that trade when he arrived in the Yukon. He eventually trained as a licensed practical nurse, the field he now works in. 

"I love it way more better than engineering," he said. "I love nursing."

For Zsohar, the program was about more than just education.

"I met lots of friends, and through those friends I met lifelong lasting friends too," he said. 

The students aren't the only ones to benefit from the program. Instructor Melanie McFadyen said it enriches the community, too.

"So many of our employers have been grateful for the opportunity to be connected to our newcomers," said McFadyen. 
"[They] come with lots of education and lots of skills and strong work ethic and lots of motivation and really a lot to offer."

Loss of program untimely

Some people at the celebration said the college is cutting non-university level courses in its attempt to become a university, but Margaret Dumkee, dean of applied science and management at Yukon College, said the decision to cut the enhanced language training program was financial.

She said funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Yukon government didn't cover all of the program costs.

Dumkee said Yukon College is also not the best fit for the program, which in other jurisdictions she said is delivered by community-based organizations. 

"I think that it would be a good fit for some of the NGOs that are in our community," said Dumkee.

Wolosewich thinks the program is too valuable for it to be gone for long, even if it's not offered by the college.

"I would be shocked if [the program's absence] lasted for long. I think it's a very necessary program."

He said the program cut is untimely, with Syrian refugees about to arrive in the Yukon.  

"If those are skilled workers that are coming in, this is the program that would have integrated them into job placements, gotten them language training that was directly focussed on their work and would have really helped integrate them," he said.

The college will still offer two ESL courses that prepare students for college courses.