Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety (Co-op)

at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Canada

This program offers a rewarding and challenging career for those individuals interested in providing emergency medical services to the sick and injured in a prehospital care environment. Primary Care Paramedic (formerly known as Emergency Medical Technician-Ambulance) training utilizes the facilities at NAIT, active treatment hospitals, basic and advanced life support ambulance services and other allied emergency services.

In addition to the program being offered twice a year at its main campus, NAIT also offers the program twice per year in partnership with Lethbridge College and once per year in partnership with Lakeland College as part of its Emergency Services Technology Diploma Program.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant training
In this certificate program, you will learn about providing basic emergency care, including assessment and treatment of patients with a variety of medical disorders and injuries.  Your learning environment will consist of lectures, labs, clinical simulations and practicum.  Areas of learning will be focused on but are not excluded to:

• Introduction to emergency medical services and pre-hospital care
• Human anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology
• Basic life support skills including medical and trauma management
• Pharmacology
• Diverse patient populations including management of some pediatric disorders and assisting with childbirth

You will also be trained in physical and mental health self-care, to ensure you are prepared for a demanding patient care environment.

Practicum will consist of placement with an ambulance service and one week in an acute care hospital emergency department. You will be expected to work shifts including evenings, nights and weekends, and you may be required to travel outside of Edmonton for your practicum placement.

The first 6 courses in the program consist of a mixture of lectures and labs of approximately 400 hours, and the last course will consist of practicum placement of approximately 240 hours.

You can expect to spend, on average:

• 28 hours per week attending classes over the course of a semester
• 15 to 20 hours per week studying and completing class assignments
• 40 hours per week on practicum

Careers that leave a lasting impact
Have a passion for building? Civil Engineering Technology is a 2-year diploma program or 2-and-a-half year co-op diploma program through which you’ll learn how to design and manage construction, infrastructure and research projects.

Our curriculum has been developed with industry input to ensure we cover all of the theoretical and practical elements that are essential within the broad field of civil engineering. With the help of hands-on learning and supportive, experienced instruction, you’ll apply computer-aided design & drafting (CADD) systems to civil engineering problems in the areas of:

• Structural design
• Urban services design
• Highway design
• Pavement design
• Geotechnical design
• Project management
• Applied research

Respiratory Therapists are dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and education of patients with heart and lung disorders. As a Respiratory Therapist, you’ll work with patients of all ages, from infants and children to adults and geriatrics. The Respiratory Therapist is a crucial life-saving and life-supporting professional, and as a NAIT graduate you’ll be well equipped to work in a wide variety of hospital and health care settings.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant training
Learn to plan and implement diagnostic procedures for patients suffering from a wide range of heart and lung disorders. This 3-year diploma program will feature simulation experience, with classroom and lab instruction, combined with clinical rotations in various hospital settings. The program features hands-on training in areas such as:

• Human anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and pathophysiology
• Airway management and cardiopulmonary testing, monitoring and resuscitation
• Assessment of cardio-respiratory patient status; ventilator support; testing and evaluation of respiratory equipment

You can expect to spend, on average:

• 27 hours per week attending classes over the course of a semester.
• 10 to 15 hours per week studying and completing class assignments.
• Upon successful completion of the RET program the graduate is eligible to challenge the Canadian Board for Respiratory Care (CBRC) entry-to-practice certification examination to become a registered respiratory therapist.
• In order to practice as a Respiratory Therapist in the province of Alberta, technologists are required to be registered with the College and Association of Respiratory Therapists of Alberta to obtain a license to practice.

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with Management emphasis equips students who want to lead in business, industry, government and not-for-profit sectors. Students in the Management degree emphasis are prepared for leadership roles where they can make a difference by advising on key business practices like revenue streams, resourcing and strategic planning. You'll be challenged through simulated business cases, sound reasoning, analytical thinking, and inductive thinking to make decisions moving organizations forward towards greater success. Much of the instruction in this emphasis is centered on real-world cases, and you'll be given opportunities to work directly with industry. All management-related courses have prerequisites, so it is important to carefully plan the order your studies.

As a registered medical laboratory technologist, you will assist in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. In this program the focus will be on the analysis of human blood and body fluids for microorganisms and cellular and chemical components. Compatibility testing of blood and blood products, plus preparation of tissue samples for microscopic examination.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant training
Medical Laboratory Technology focuses on the analysis of human blood, body fluids and tissues, with students learning a variety of skills to become entry level professionals. This program includes general laboratory related courses with progression to discipline specific courses in Microbiology, Transfusion Science, Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Histotechnology.  Goals of the program include the following:

• Teaching students how to provide quality patient care by being introduced to:
  • How to work safely in a level II containment laboratory
  • How to collect and process specimens for analysis
  • How to analyze, interpret & report quality laboratory results
  • How to think critically and how to communicate and collaborate inter-professionally
• Teaching students the professional responsibility of a registered MLT, including scope of practice, ethics, accountability, and professional development.
• Preparing students for clinical training by providing theoretical knowledge and hands-on experiences
• Preparing students for the CSMLS national certification exam

The MLT program is divided into two phases where students will learn and practice the skills required to be a registered MLT 

Phase I of the Medical Laboratory Technology program begins every September and consists of 49 weeks of classroom instruction with related practical laboratory sessions on NAIT Main Campus. This includes (two) 15-week semesters, (one) 4-week intersession, followed by one additional 15-week semester.

Phase II consists of 38 weeks of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) at one of three affiliated training sites in Edmonton, Grande Prairie or Red Deer. WIL provides practical experience in a variety of clinical settings. Emphasis is placed on practical application of concepts studied at NAIT and on development of organizational, critical thinking, and professionalism skills.

All students in the Biological Sciences Technology program take a common first semester before entering into their specialization - Lab and Research, Renewable Resources or Environmental Sciences. The common first semester provides students with strong fundamentals in Biological Sciences while semesters two, three, and four build on these fundamentals with additional specialization-specific education and training. 

Graduates of Biological Sciences Laboratory and Research program are highly skilled, hands-on technologists with the ability to use and apply current technologies and research methods in animal physiology, molecular biology, cell culture, immunology, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology. Graduates are valued for their professionalism, effective communication, lab competency, and work safely and efficiently in a team environment. They are aware of the changing industry, and are committed to lifelong learning.

The Digital Media and IT (DMIT) program is multi-disciplinary in its approach. Spanning a range of career opportunities from business analyst to visual designer, this innovative program allows you the ability to meet industry demand while developing skills aligned with your individual talents and inclinations.

In the Visual Communications area of emphasis, learn how to create high-quality, eye-catching products by applying advanced design principles.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
The Visual Communications area of emphasis will give you the skills you need to be a professional graphic designer. Courses will focus on 2 core software tools that will help you accomplish this goal: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

Supplemental courses will teach you the practical and theoretical sides of visual design, such as colour theory, typographic history and the art of telling a story using characters and images. To round out the program, you will also take time developing a portfolio and learning the business side of this industry.

Do you have a love for the outdoors and a desire to help keep Canada’s natural spaces healthy and prosperous? Does the idea of searching for clues and investigating cause/effect interest you?

The Biological Sciences Technology – Conservation Biology 2-year diploma program will help you develop the skills needed to ensure that our natural resources are used in an optimal way that is sustained for future generations. Your knowledge and technical expertise will also allow you to engage in resource management activities without compromising the integrity or sustainability of the ecosystems in which they work.

Hands-on, industry-relevant Skills
In this program, you’ll acquire skills used in field sampling, environmental education and resource management by studying chemistry, botany and the biology and ecology of birds, fish, mammals, insects, plants, rivers, lakes and soils.

You’ll also explore genetics, wildlife surveys, plant and animal diversity, soil and range management, water quality issues, parks management and environmental education projects.

With the help of support instructors with years of industry experience, you’ll learn in a combination of classroom, lab and field settings. Our facilities will provide you with practical, job-ready experience using a variety of modern laboratory and field instruments, and simulation and computer applications. You may also learn through work experience, field trips, applied research and other opportunities. 

NAIT's Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning Refrigeration (HVACR) Technician certificate offers training for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industries. Students will learn how to commission, design, install, maintain, service and trouble shoot HVACR systems.

The goals of the certificate are to provide familiarity with the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry and understanding of the operating principles of industry-specific equipment, systems and procedures. Students will work with hand tools and power tools, as well as computer programs and computer simulators. Instructional class time consists of 50% theory classes and 50% practical classes (computer lab/shop).

Graduates with this certificate will receive recognition for periods 1 and 2 of technical training towards the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic (RACM) apprenticeship program. Graduates will receive full credit towards the 1st and 2nd periods of RACM once they successfully challenge 1st and 2nd period technical exams and obtain their on the job training hours.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant training
The Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning Refrigeration Technician certificate provides an intensive technical introduction to the applied sector of the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industries. The concentrated one-year training package prepares students for entry-level employment in this very diverse job market.

Classroom & Study Hours
Students can expect to spend, on average

• 33 hours per week attending classes over the course of a semester
• 15 to 30 hours per week studying and completing class assignments

Is This Program For You?
This program will appeal to those with a general mechanical background looking for focused, job-ready training, or to individuals with a related trades certification, such as sheet metal, electrical, plumbing or instrumentation, who desire fast re-training

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are highly trained, in-demand professionals who use ultrasounds to produce and record images of important organs, masses and fetal images. This hands-on accredited program will allow you the opportunity to participate in clinical rotations in major Alberta hospitals. You’ll receive training on industry-standard equipment and get the opportunity to learn on the same technology you’ll use in your practicum placement – and career.