Minister congratulates local IT school:
First private college program in country to receive national accreditation

At a news conference today, the Department of Education, Operation ONLINE and the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS) awarded national accreditation to the Information Technology (IT) Graduate Diploma program of the Graduate Centre of Applied Technology (GCAT).

The three partners signed a memorandum of agreement in 1999 to develop a process for the accreditation of IT programs offered through provincial educational institutions. Since then the partners have been working together with the IT industry and post-secondary institutions to see the project through to completion.

"This is an exciting day," said acting Education Minister Lloyd Matthews. "GCAT�s IT Graduate Diploma program is the first IT program in a private college in the country to receive national accreditation.

"The efforts of the three organizations involved in this project place this province as one of the country�s leaders in the area of program accreditation. Graduates from accredited programs will be equipped with skills and knowledge that will be well recognized in the global marketplace." The minister extended congratulations to GCAT and thanked his department staff and representatives of the IT industry who were involved in the project.

"This first national accreditation of a private institution could not have been done without the strong partnerships that have been developed between CIPS, the Department of Education and Operation ONLINE. Through such partnerships other provinces may be able to open the door to accreditation," said Sandy Eaton, CIPS National Atlantic Director.

"Human resources development is one of the key strategic focuses of Operation ONLINE in our mandate to advance growth in Newfoundland and Labrador's IT sector," said Jack Botsford, President and CEO of Operation ONLINE. "Accreditation is the first step in moving our IT workforce to a higher level of professionalism and in ensuring that IT programs in the province meet the demands of industry. This will, in turn, enhance opportunities for graduates seeking employment in the global marketplace and ultimately benefit the IT sector by contributing to its growth and marketability."

"We are extremely proud to be the first training institution in Newfoundland and Labrador and the first private college in Canada to receive CIPS accreditation for our IT Graduate Diploma program. We owe this honour to the dedicated staff and administration at the Graduate Centre who continually strive to keep our college on the leading edge of the IT career training field," said Calvin Burton, president of GCAT.

The accreditation project was funded through the Labour Market Development Agreement, a joint initiative of the provincial and federal governments that seeks to link educational, employment and economic development initiatives for an improved labour market.

Photo #1: (L to R) Sandy Eaton, Canadian Information Processing Society National Atlantic Director; Jack Botsford, President and CEO of Operation ONLINE; Calvin Burton, President of GCAT; Lloyd Matthews, Acting Minister of Education; and Steve Pennell, Curriculum Director of GCAT (November 22, 2000).

Media contacts:

Andrea Maunder, Department of Education, (709) 729-0048
Mylene Sayo, CIPS, (416) 861-2477
Paula Foley, Operation ONLINE, (709) 729-6228
Calvin Burton, Graduate Centre of Applied Technology, (709) 758-5757.

2000 11 22 2:35 p.m.