Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (Oct 03/05) - Aurora College is looking for advice on its direction for the next five years.

Public consultations are being held regarding the new corporate plan being developed for 2006-2010. This month, meetings will be held in Hay River (Oct. 6), Fort Resolution (Oct. 7), Kakisa and Fort Providence (Oct. 11), Fort Simpson (Oct. 12) and Fort Smith (Oct. 19).

Tim Gauthier, the college's manager of public and corporate affairs, says the plan will outline broad directions and establish goals.

"Basically, it provides a guidebook of where we're going," Gauthier says, noting the new plan is expected to be finished early next year.

Meetings have already been held in Yellowknife, Rae-Edzo, Inuvik, Aklavik, Deline, Tulita and Norman Wells.

"The feedback has always been good and that's the important part," he says.

Gauthier notes people are always interested in more community-based programming by the college. New aboriginal governments would also like more human resources-based training, he adds. "We see that as one of the emerging priorities for us."

Gauthier says the corporate plan is an important document for the college. "We pretty much filter all our decision-making through it."

The public meetings are hosted by college president Maurice Evans, board of governors chair Dennis Bevington, and Bill Hoggarth, who has been hired to help write the plan.