NorQuest College, formerly Alberta Vocational College (AVC), was officially established by the Government of Alberta in 1965 with the primary objective of providing untrained and under-employed Albertans with the opportunity to develop skills required in an industrialized workforce. In 1965, AVC con...
sisted of four academic upgrading classrooms, a space housing 60 business education students, a barber shop, a beauty culture lab, and a welding and equipment maintenance shop. There were additional programs offered at separate locations in Edmonton. With government plans to construct a central downtown site for the college in 1970, these programs would all be offered under the same roof by 1971 and total student enrollment would rise to 2,300 in 1972 from 550 in 1966. New programs were developed and existing programs were expanded and revised to accommodate the educational needs of an increasing student body.
Governance:
NorQuest College became board governed in 1998 and operates under the authority of the Post-secondary Learning Act and is responsible to the Minister of Advanced Education. The board has 14 members.
Campus:
The college has one Edmonton campus downtown, and three regional campuses (one in each of Drayton Valley, Wetaskiwin, and Whitecourt).[3] There are also two correctional institute campuses in the Edmonton area: high school credit courses and non-credit personal development courses are provided to inmates at the Edmonton Remand Centre and the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre, and employment training courses are offered at the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre. Approximately 150 students are taking these courses at one time.
Programs:
NorQuest College offers diplomas and certificates as well as preparatory programs. Programs are offered full-time, part-time, online, and via a hybrid of online and in-person instruction. NorQuest College offers one of the largest and most highly rated practical nursing programs in Canada. In addition to health, human services, and business career programs, NorQuest offers adult literacy, English as a Second Language (ESL), intercultural education, Aboriginal education, academic upgrading, and learner support for students with disabilities.
At NorQuest, we have a unique ability to provide students with the skills Alberta needs in a supportive and inclusive environment. And with input from industry, business, and the public sector, we make learning relevant and rewarding.
We understand that our learners come with varying levels of education and we assist them at the times and places that meet their needs, whether that is in the classroom, via distance learning or continuing education. We help identify their strengths, work on their areas of need, and move them towards exciting learning paths and life-changing careers. Our post-secondary diploma and certificate programs offer careers in health, community studies, and business.
We also uniquely deliver to the increasing demands of our economy. Thanks to our workforce-relevant programming, the average diploma graduate from NorQuest College earns $15,100 more than a high school graduate at their career midpoint. In addition, research shows that NorQuest College and our students added $471.4 million of total income to Edmonton’s regional economy. These outcomes are based on a 2016-17 study conducted by Economic Specialists International.
Located on traditional lands referred to as Treaty 6 territory, we serve 12,573 full-time and part-time credit students, and 7,894 non-credit or continuing education students, including assessment examinations. As a regional steward, we provide access to adult education in Edmonton and Wetaskiwin.
We are proud to embrace diversity and honor inclusiveness.
- 108 countries of birth
- 73 first languages spoken on campus
View NorQuest by the Numbers for more information on NorQuest College.
