Algonquin’s newest bachelor program was unveiled by members of the Algonquin program advisory committee on Jan. 22.
The bachelor of public safety program has been in development since 2012 and experts in the field of public safety have been increasingly in demand.
“Last week, I went to look at one of the websites where these types of jobs are posted, and I can tell you that every single one of them was asking for credentials just like this,” said Mario D’Angelo, coordinator for the pre-service firefighter education and training program. “So in effect, our graduates are already in demand and the program is waiting for them.”
Global climate has been changing at an alarming rate due to disasters and emergencies caused by humans, technology and Mother Nature.
Including ancillary fees, tuition will cost students $4,777.81 per semester. Students will also be required to purchase textbooks that cost approximately $2,500. That means that one year of the program will cost students upwards of $12,000.
Despite the pricey tuition, Algonquin president Cheryl Jensen believes it is a necessary addition.
“In a time of social media and 24-hour news, panic and misinformation can cause secondary issues to arise,” she said. “Graduates from this program will have been taught to think strategically and problem-solve, one of those lifelong skills that are so important for our graduates even though there may be chaos all around them.”
Guest speakers included Colonel John Pumphrey, director of Defense Security Operations for the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defense.
Colonel Pumphrey served as an advisory committee member during the implementation process and stressed the importance of how much hands-on training students will receive.
“Not only can I say you heard our voice, but you’ve integrated it into the program,” he said. “It truly has been a great pleasure to work with Algonquin and find the edge of practical versus academic. People in this program are going to do things, not just talk about things.”
The program will train students for positions ranging from security analysts to emergency management specialists. Employers of these positions come from every level of government as well as private, non-governmental organization and graduates will even be qualified to be self-employed as consultants.