Education

Education, a critical building block of economic development, can also be viewed as an economic generator.  Spending on work place education in Europe and North America is estimated to be in the $300 million range and 1.5 million high school and post-secondary students study abroad each year, contributing an estimated $28 billion to the economies of their host countries.  Growth trends in each of these areas are strong, with the number of international students alone expected to double in the next decade. Zone 8 through the Centre of Environmental Excellence and Post Secondary Institutions has significantly increased research and development over the past few years.

Zone 8 has a full complement of educational facilities.  These include primary and secondary schools, a public post secondary college, a private college and a degree granting university campus.  The region is well on its way to establishing itself as an education region.
There are three (3) post-secondary institutions situated in Zone 8.  All three (3) schools are located in Corner Brook and have been paying attention to changes in the labour market to offer new and relevant educational programs and services to students and the public.  As well, all three schools are becoming more involved with international student recruitment and bring foreign students to the zone to experience a new cultural lifestyle while completing an educational program.  All three facilities are seen as significant economic contributors.  Couple with that increased research and development spending and Post Secondary Education one of the major economic driving forces in the region.

The Post Secondary Institutes in Zone 8 are helping to move the concept of Commercialization of Education forward.  For example, there is a Fine Arts College at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College.  Many students from the Fine Arts College have gone on to start art galleries, design studios, theatre groups, etc.  This is only one example of many such success stories.

The post secondary institutes and economic agencies in Zone 8 partnered to form an alliance to market the region as an educational destination. Based on the Novas Consulting Group report the partners decided to pursue this new venture. The region already has a proven track record of recruiting international students through the Humber Education Alliance (HEA).  HEDB Inc was influential in the development of HEA and it currently has over 80 international students enrolled in both the secondary and post secondary schools.  There exists within Zone 8, an educational infrastructure and knowledge base that have the potential of being developed into a major industry.  Potential exists to export our knowledge internationally and also to continue on a clear path of attracting foreign students interested in obtaining the quality education that the region provides.

Over the past five years, in excess of $20 million in federal and provincial funding has helped position Zone 8 as a Centre of Excellence for Environmental Education, Research, Technology and Development. 

The CEE has received several million dollars from the Provincial and Federal Government to work with a management team and staff supported by an advisory committee comprised of post secondary institutions, private business and other environmental organizations to fulfill its mandate of the three pillars identified.  HEDB is one of the advisory members. These include sustainable forestry, sustainable municipal infrastructure and sustainable tourism.