Education With $44 million more for NBCC-Saint John, the new head of the college will finally be able to expand programs

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Reid Southwick
Telegraph-Journal

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SAINT JOHN - The new principal of the New Brunswick Community College's Saint John campus will be faced with "tremendous opportunities" when the winning candidate is named by early next month, says Peter McGill, who held the post for seven years after retiring last spring.

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Noel Chenier/Telegraph-Journal

Peter McGill speaks to students at NBCC-Saint John last year during a custodial strike. The retired principal says the new head of the college will be faced with tremendous opportunity, thanks to more government funding.

The college's new top administrator will work with deans, department heads and the province on expanding the post-secondary institution after the Shawn Graham government announced $44 million for the college early last month, McGill said.

The new principal, he said, will also have to identify new programs and recruit more students to prepare for an energy boom in the city, should expected mega-projects go ahead.

"I see tremendous opportunities," said McGill, who stepped down from the principal's chair when he retired last March. "Having perhaps new quarters to work in and new equipment for students, and an opportunity for students to work in a place where you're paid rather well on the energy file, it's all very exciting."

The deadline for applications to become the new principal closed early last month and the winning candidate is expected to be named by the beginning of February.

Interim principal Annette Albert, who was previously the college's director of administration, said she submitted an application, but declined to comment on her bid or vision for the college's future.

According to an advertisement published in the Telegraph-Journal in November, the college is looking for a candidate who demonstrates strong competencies in "coaching and team development, organizational awareness, organizational commitment, relationship building and results-orientation."

The winning candidate should also have a master's degree in education, business administration or a related field, and must have at least seven years of "progressively responsible" management experience in a post-secondary education environment.

Alternatively, the winning candidate should have a bachelor's degree in education, business administration or a related field and have at least nine years of "progressively responsible" management experience in a post-secondary education environment.

The New Brunswick Community College is also looking for principals at its Bathurst and Moncton campuses.

They will earn between $3,602 and $3,963 biweekly, depending on their qualifications.