The following information was released by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

ALBERTON (PE) – The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue and Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Mr. Jake Baird, Vice-President and Chief Learning Officer, Holland College, were on hand today to announce new technology at Holland College which will help the institution better instruct its students through a tele-presentation format.

“Our Government understands that innovation, investment, education, skills and communities are drivers of growth and job creation,” said Minister Shea. “This tele-presentation system will give Holland College the capacity for cross-campus instruction allowing students across Prince Edward Island, including rural areas, to pursue studies and skills training in different programs.”

The Government of Canada, through ACOA’s Business Development Program, has invested $174,081 to support Holland College with the purchase and installation of this new system and Holland College has invested an additional $58,027.

Holland College will install one tele-presentation system at each of their four campuses, in Charlottetown, Summerside, West Prince (Alberton) and Georgetown. The capacity in cross-campus instruction will allow students across Prince Edward Island to pursue studies and skills training in different programs and courses offered by Holland College.

“This generous funding from ACOA enables Holland College to further expand its educational reach into rural Prince Edward Island,” said Mr. Baird. “Connecting campuses in Charlottetown, Summerside, Alberton, and Georgetown provides an ideal platform for the exchange of information and knowledge between these campuses.”

This new technology will provide a platform for Holland College to effectively train their students and to meet the changing needs of local industries. At the outset, the technology will be used to deliver training in welding, bioscience, e-health and marine training.