Kamloops High School Students Embrace Early Post-Secondary Education

High school students in the Kamloops area are increasingly pursuing post-secondary education while still enrolled in secondary school. According to the Kamloops-Thompson School District (SD73), approximately 7.5 percent of this year’s Grade 12 students are taking advantage of dual-credit programs at Thompson Rivers University (TRU).

SD73 Superintendent Mike McKay shared this statistic during a board meeting, emphasizing the benefits of this collaboration with TRU. He described it as providing “huge eye-opening experiences for kids to begin their post-secondary journey while they’re still in the incubator of the secondary school environment.”

Opportunities for students have continued to grow, with 89 SD73 students currently enrolled in on-campus dual-credit programs at TRU, which is an increase of 17 students compared to the previous year. Of these participants, 55 are engaged in skilled trades, 21 are taking first-year university courses, and 13 are enrolled in certificate programs. Additionally, 27 students in the Health Science Academy are pursuing a first-year psychology course, while 10 students from Logan Lake are starting foundation-level welding training.

Growing Enrollment and Future Opportunities

The dual-credit initiative has been beneficial for students, with the percentage of Grade 12 students enrolled in such programs fluctuating between 5.5 percent and 7.5 percent in recent years, based on cohort size and student interest. Rick Kienlein, SD73 Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education, noted that the relationship with TRU is vital in providing diverse educational opportunities.

This year’s enrollment at TRU has increased by 4 to 5 percent for domestic students, exceeding initial forecasts. The Enhancing Student Learning Report from SD73 indicates that dual-credit enrollment percentages were 6 percent in 2022-23, rising to 7 percent in 2023-24, and expected to stabilize at 6 percent in 2024-25, translating to 67, 73, and 72 students respectively.

While SD73 continues to maintain strong transition rates to post-secondary institutions, these rates have remained below provincial averages from 2018 to 2023. The recent announcement from the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills to double trades training funding to $241 million over the next three years aims to enhance opportunities for students. This investment is expected to add apprentice seats, facilitate further trades certification, and reduce waitlists.

Kienlein expressed cautious optimism about how this funding could impact local students. “First, how much money are they actually going to benefit from that disbursement into the system? And then beyond that, what does that mean in terms of our access through TRU?” he questioned.

The funding could also provide increased training opportunities through apprenticeships, potentially benefiting students involved in programs like SkilledTradesBC’s Youth Work in Trades initiative. Kienlein highlighted the importance of creating pathways for students, stating that “they might benefit from that as well, in terms of increased access to journeypeople.”

As interest in trades training continues to rise among SD73 students, the collaboration between the school district and TRU appears poised to strengthen, offering a clear pathway for young individuals to transition seamlessly into post-secondary education and skilled trades.