ST. JOHN’S, NL – Graduates of Eastern Academy’s Information Systems Specialist+ program will have direct-entry acceptance into the third year of College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Bachelor of Applied Information Technology – Systems and Network Cybersecurity degree starting September 2022.
This pathway is thanks to an articulation agreement signed between the two post-secondary institutions on Wednesday, July 6. The applied degree is CNA’s first and one of only a few cybersecurity degrees in the country.
Lisa Lovelady, Vice President Academic & Chief Operating Officer at Eastern Academy, joined Jason Rolls, CNA's Vice President Academics and Applied Research, for the signing of an articulation agreement between the two post-secondary institutions.
“Articulation agreements, such as this one, provide valuable educational and career options for learners,” says Lisa Lovelady, Vice President Academic & Chief Operating Officer at Eastern Academy. “There are so many exciting opportunities in the IT sector and collaborations, such as these, allow learners to continue their studies toward an applied degree right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
The applied degree is currently being offered in St. John’s at CNA’s Prince Philip Drive (PPD) campus. Steve Warren, CNA’s Dean of the School of Business and Information Technology (IT), says response to the new degree has been robust and the college is looking to expand those eligible to enroll in it.
“To go into Year 3 of our program, you need strong foundational skills in system and network administration,” said Warren. “Through this agreement, we are acknowledging that the program at Eastern Academy provides that solid foundation. In addition, CNA’s own Computer Systems & Networking and Computing Systems Engineering Technology programs can also avail of direct-entry acceptance into the degree. We also hope that professionals working in the field will consider it as a viable option for their workplaces.”
Jason Rolls, Vice President, Academic and Applied Research at CNA, says there are times when it’s crucial for post-secondary institutions to collaborate on societal issues. In this case, cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing subsets of crime in the world. According to Statistics Canada, almost six out of 10 (57 per cent) Canadian Internet users reported experiencing a cybersecurity incident in 2018. CNA continuously works with industry stakeholders to identify solutions.
Florian Villaumé, CEO of techNL, joined Lisa Lovelady, Vice President Academic & Chief Operating Officer at Eastern Academy; Jason Rolls, CNA's Vice President Academics and Applied Research; and Stephen Warren, CNA’s Dean of the School of Business and Information Technology, for the signing of an articulation agreement. This provides a direct-entry acceptance pathway for graduates of Eastern Academy’s Information Systems Specialist+ program into the third year of College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Bachelor of Applied Information Technology – Systems and Network Cybersecurity degree starting September 2022
“For post-secondary training institutions to meet the current labour market demand, we need to work together to ensure our programs are relevant,” said Rolls. “This agreement is a great example of how we can do that for the benefit of both institutions. Together, we will have career-ready graduates who will help businesses and organizations to overcome their IT challenges and provide preventive short- and long-term solutions.”
Some benefits of this new agreement include:
- Increasing the supply of well-qualified, highly-trained Information Technology professionals in the workforce;
- Increased employment opportunities and earning potential for new graduates; and,
- Graduates will receive both a college diploma from Eastern Academy and an applied degree from CNA.
To learn about CNA’s Bachelor of Applied Information Technology – Systems and Network Cybersecurity program, visit,
HERE.
For more information about Eastern Academy’s Information Systems Specialist+ program, visit
HERE.
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About Eastern Academy: Eastern Academy is a nationally recognized independent career college that has been training graduates from across Canada and abroad for nearly 40 years in the fields of healthcare, business, supply chain and information technology. Eastern Academy offers a unique approach to education including half-day classes delivered one subject at a time, a hands-on career services team, and lifetime refresher courses.
About CNA: CNA is the largest post-secondary educational and technical skills training centre in Atlantic Canada; enrolling learners each year in more than 100 full-time programs across five schools: Academics, Applied Arts, and Tourism; Business and Information Technology; Engineering Technology; Health Sciences; and Natural Resources and Industrial Trades. Its history dates back nearly 60 years. Today, CNA has multiple campuses and delivers programs and services to students in NL and across the globe, including online delivery and blended learning opportunities.
Media contacts:
Jordan Snow, Marketing Coordinator
Eastern Academy
709.722.8580
info@easternacademy.ca
Chad Harnett
Public Relations Specialist (Social Media)
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.6408
chad.harnett@cna.nl.ca