The new name of the school will be 'Lethbridge Polytechnic", and the change will come into effect on September 3, 2024. (Photo: Lethbridge College)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge College to be re-designated as ‘Lethbridge Polytechnic’

Jun 25, 2024 | 9:19 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge College is being re-designated by the Government of Alberta.

On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, the province announced that the new name of the school will be ‘Lethbridge Polytechnic,” and the change will come into effect on September 3, 2024.

As a polytechnic institution, the province says Lethbridge Polytechnic will provide career-focused post-secondary education, meeting the needs of students at every stage of life.

Although admitting that students may not see too much of a change day-to-day, Lethbridge College President and CEO Brad Donaldson says the school will become more responsive to the needs of the community and the business world.

“Having more autonomy around deciding what programs we offer, what credentials we offer is important so we have that agility to meet the ever-increasing needs of the hiring community, industry, and society as a whole,” says Donaldson.

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He continues, “We will continue to have our programs change. There will be programs that haven’t been offered in the past because they weren’t needed. We’ll look at, what are the needs here? I think with the growing needs of artificial intelligence, the technology changes in the agriculture sector, and all the support services around that, from childcare to other offerings that we would provide.”

Donaldson believes that the transition will help to solidify the institution’s position as a provider of apprenticeship training, and potentially obtain more funding.

Any students graduating this fall will have “Lethbridge College” on their graduation certificates, while those completing their studies in spring 2025 or later will see it bare the words “Lethbridge Polytechnic.”

By having a university, a college, a First Nation college, and a polytechnic institution all in the city, the province says it will enable students to choose from various forms of schooling and eliminate the need to travel long distances for post-secondary education.

Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen says, “On behalf of Lethbridge City Council, I want to congratulate Lethbridge Polytechnic on its new designation. This move is far more than a name change. It truly signifies the continual adaptation, growth and grand vision for one of our city’s beloved post-secondary institutions.”

The province is re-designating the school in order to align with the Alberta 2030: Building Skills for Jobs strategy, which aims to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, strengthen innovation and commercialization of research.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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