Agricultural diploma enrolment increased for the third
year in a row at Alfred College, reversing a slide that began in 1995.
Forty-one junior students enrolled bringing the total number in
agriculture to 76 students, an increase of 16 students over last year.
"We’re very happy with the way things are
going," says the registrar, Natalie Lalonde. Altogether, Alfred has
135 in diploma courses, including 35 in the veterinary assistant course.
When the October and November certificate courses are
tallied, Lalonde expects enrolment will end just shy of 200.
The college has brought in a new program on food
processing, which it shares with McGill University. The course is
bilingual and prepares people for the food industry. While grade 12 is
preferred, applicants are considered on their merit.
Two days a week will be spent at McGill. Lalonde says
the students will make the 30-minute trip from the Alfred campus by a bus
provided by the college. McGill was chosen because of the availability of
high quality labs, she said.
The eight-month course is made up of 13 modules and begins in January.
Students can opt into a module and opt out. But all 13 modules are
required for graduation.
