RANKIN INLET - A total of 26 diplomas and certificates were presented during the graduation ceremony for Nunavut Arctic College's Kivalliq campus in Rankin Inlet this past week.

Reanna Sateana leads the grads into Nunavut Arctic College's graduation ceremony at its Kivalliq campus in Rankin Inlet this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The ceremony was held at the community hall.

Student counsellor and Kivalliq Hall residence manager Dorothy Tootoo said the event went extremely well.

She said the class of 2011 produced a number of quality graduates who are pumped about getting out into the working world.

"It's not just about one-year courses at our campus anymore," said Tootoo.

"Even students who don't come back the following year are looking at taking a year off and then coming back to continue their studies.

"So, we're going toe-to-toe with every other campus out there."

This was the first ceremony at the Kivalliq campus to feature graduates from the new Nunavut Trades Training Centre in Rankin.

The centre graduated students from trades access, pre-apprenticeship electrician and pre-apprenticeship plumber courses.

Tootoo said having trades students for the first time added to this year's graduation.

She said their success marks a different vein for college graduates.

"The trades are more about the hands-on, physical type of occupations and now they're going out into the field.

"Many of them are really pumped because, I believe, every trades graduate has the opportunity to apply for summer employment with Agnico Eagle Mines. There's different players in the industry coming to the college to seriously look at our grads now, and that's always a big thing."

Tootoo said the Kivalliq campus has a solid track record with its management studies graduates finding employment.

She said everyone in the office administration program who did their practicum has some type of summer job right now.

"The next step for some of the administration students is the management studies program, and they're happy to come back in the fall and apply for that program.

"Hopefully, our graduation will grow in size to where even the community hall won't be able to hold it.

"Maybe there will be something in the future with the new recreation complex for us?"

Tootoo said family housing is the biggest issue facing the Kivalliq campus.

She said a number of potential students had to be turned away this year due to the lack of family housing.

"Family housing for out-of-town students is the biggest issue with all of our programs right now.

"We're the go-to place for our region and we only have 12 housing units.

"Those units and our day care have been full since they opened.

"We could utilize double that number of units just for the management studies program, without counting the needs of the trades programs."

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