Diploma in Agroecology Technician

at Medicine Hat College Canada

Environmental reclamation is the returning of lands disturbed from mining, oil and gas activities, transportation, or logging back into either economically productive or natural habitats. As an environmental reclamation technician, you will provide the expertise and support to carry out the reclamation and re-vegetation of these disturbed lands.

Our two-year diploma program was designed by employers to include specific training essential for this career while focusing on the unique environmental conditions of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. You will develop your skills and knowledge in

• Surveying and mapping,
• Water and soil studies,
• Botany and plant taxonomy,
• Agronomy,
• Weed control,
• Environmental assessment and monitoring,
• Environmental law,
• Legislation and
• Reclamation technologies.

Course-related field trips and fieldwork may take place on weekends or may require overnight travel. Participation in all activities related to field trips and fieldwork is mandatory.

On-the-job duties may include coordination of field activities for monitoring and sample collection, data analysis, development of reclamation plans, carrying out environmental assessments, researching the history of well-sites, completion of documents and reports, supervision or implementation of weed management measures, or providing technical support for erosion and sediment control.

At the conclusion of the program, you will undergo a 220-hour work experience practicum where you will put your learning into practice and build essential industry contacts. The environmental field is rapidly expanding and the demand for individuals with the required knowledge, skills and practical experience is increasing. Even during slowdowns in the oil and gas industry, the employment outlook for reclamation professionals remains strong.

Few people in our society are entrusted with the responsibility of enforcing laws and maintaining order. Professionals in this field must be equipped with technical knowledge and skills, and offer the strong character and personal discipline required to succeed in a demanding environment. The Criminal Justice program will help you prepare to take on this challenge.

Throughout the program, you will gain an understanding of the criminal justice system through studies in:

• Human relations,
• Psychology,
• Sociology,
• Investigations,
• Policing,
• Security,
• Criminology, and
• Law.

Exposure to an array of investigative techniques and practices including forensics, crime scene investigations, and threat and risk assessments will further prepare you for employment in the field of your choice.

Police services, industry trainers and educators have identified the key competencies required in the criminal justice community including leadership skills, ethics, analytical thinking, self-confidence, communication skills, flexibility, diligence, patience, self-control, problem solving, and physical skills. During the program, you are encouraged to attain the necessary skills and fitness level to pass the testing requirements demanded by law enforcement organizations, as well as volunteer for various groups and agencies to demonstrate community involvement.

This certificate builds students’ knowledge of accounting theory and application. It serves as a stand-alone skill upgrade for business program graduates interested in pursuing accounting technician or bookkeeping employment. The program also serves as a bridge to MHC’s one-year Advanced Accounting post-diploma certificate for students pursuing CPA designation. The certificate includes a work integrated learning course to provide hands-on experience. 

Managing information has never been more important and information technology professionals are in demand,

• Installing applications,
• Designing complex computer networks,
• Developing information databases, and
• Managing systems.

Strong problem-solving and analytical skills are a must, as troubleshooting and helping others are vital aspects of the job. Additionally, since there is constant interaction with other computer personnel, customers, and employees on the job, IT specialists must be able to communicate effectively on paper, through email, and in person.

Our program is designed to be flexible. Students will select a major when they apply; however the first semester of the program is common to all so students have the opportunity to change their major at a later date.

A Co-op Program option enables highly motivated students to integrate their academic program with paid, relevant work experience in their chosen field. MHC’s IT programs incorporate all or part of the curriculum requirements for a number of industry certifications including

• A+,
• i-Net+,
• Network+, and
• various Microsoft Certifications.

The examinations for the respective certifications must still be written independently.

Make a difference in the lives of others with a rewarding career in social work. Social workers help individuals, families, groups, and communities develop the skills and resources they need to enhance quality of life.  

This two-year diploma program combines

• Knowledge of the humanities and behavioural sciences,
• An understanding of social work theory and philosophy, and
• The development of practical skills in classroom and fieldwork settings.

It requires your personal commitment, an open mind, and a willingness to question your own values and beliefs. Taught from a broad and inclusive perspective, there is a strong emphasis on maintaining ethical practices and a focus on diversity, anti-oppressive practice, and social justice.  

Most classes are designed to provide you with the theoretical understanding of various concepts and skills necessary to work with individuals, families, groups and communities. Practicum experiences bring knowledge and skills together, formulating your identity as a social worker  

The program is designed to meet the knowledge, skills and practice competencies as defined by the Alberta College of Social Work. Graduates of the diploma program have the option of applying to the Bachelor of Social Work program through the University of Calgary (delivered/hosted by Medicine Hat College), or transferring to other Bachelor of Social Work programs.

A first of its kind in Canada, MHC's Sustainable Innovation diploma, with majors in Business or Science, provides students with the ability to develop, implement and lead sustainable innovation strategies in diverse industries. Students will acquire just-in-time experience learning to develop the skills and competencies needed to analyze and evaluate the detailed ecosystems that reinforce and support our built environment.

Offered in-person and HyFlex, this two-year program of five semesters includes an integrated workplace learning experience and is designed for change makers who are excited about challenging existing standards and propelling their ideas forward to positively impact our communities and society. This program trains the next generations of leaders to initiate effective, innovative and sustainable approaches to solving challenges that impact people, places and profits by looking at new and strategic ways of doing business.

The Sustainable Innovation diploma challenges learners to broaden their perspective and create new products, services, systems, and processes that develop long-term solutions and address the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The term sustainability focuses not only on climate change but recognizes that ending poverty and other hardships naturally coincides with strategies to improve health, education, social equality, and economic growth.

Improving client health, movement and quality of life is the reward for a career as an Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physical Therapist Assistant (OTA/PTA). As an OTA/PTA, you will work under the direction of occupational therapists (OT) to help clients of all ages and health conditions successfully perform daily activities related to self-care, leisure, and work, school or play. You will also work under the direction of physiotherapists (PT) to provide treatment that helps patients recover from illness or injury to increase mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or lessen physical limitations.

This two-year diploma program offers extensive classroom training and valuable practicum experiences with potential employers in hospitals, private clinics, home care settings, schools, and community programs. Through the use of games or crafts, group activities, exercises, assistive devices, and various electrotherapy and physical modalities, you’ll have opportunities to bring your compassion and creativity to a health care and rehabilitation team.  

The business program offers you the opportunity to focus on your own strengths and career goals. Students interested in the Accounting, Marketing, Financial Services, and Management majors take a common first year of classes before concentrating on a specific area. You can also pursue a Business/Administrative Office Professional major.

Accounting prepares you for an entry-level accounting position. In addition to acquiring a basic knowledge of accounting theory and practice, you will gain a range of business skills that are of value to many businesses and organizations. If your goal is to earn recognition as a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA), you can build a program that fulfills the designation's requirements.

Financial Services is designed to prepare you for entry level positions in banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. Courses in the program include personal investing, accounting, marketing, and communications. These subjects will help provide you with a wide range of knowledge and skills related to modern business theory and practice.

Marketing prepares you for careers in the field by focusing on the skills needed to create successful relationships with consumers and organizational customers. Possible areas of employment include sales promotion, sales, customer relations/service, marketing research, advertising, public relations, and retailing.

Management students are prepared for entry-level positions in profit and non-profit organizations. Graduates may also choose to work for a small or family-owned business or to become an entrepreneur.

Business/Administrative Office Professional is appropriate for individuals wishing to work in a technical position within a business office or develop comprehensive perspective on business theory and practice. You may enter this major after completing the Administrative Office Professional certificate.

Your future success in business rests on the foundation of knowledge and skills you’ll build in the Business Administration Diploma program. This program offers you the opportunity to focus on your strength and career goals, with majors in Accounting, Financial Services, Hospitality & Tourism (pending government approval), Marketing, Management, and Administrative Office Professional. All students are admitted into a common first year before concentrating on a specific area through declaring a major in your second year.

Marketing prepares you for careers in the field by focusing on the skills needed to create successful relationships with consumers and organizational customers. Possible areas of employment include sales promotion, sales, customer relations/service, marketing research, advertising, public relations, and retailing.

When lives are on the line, the skills and knowledge of a paramedic can make the difference between life and death. The Bachelor of Applied Health Science – Paramedic degree program prepares learners to be an integral part of the health care team, primarily within the pre-hospital environment.

MHC’s Bachelor of Applied Health Science (Paramedic) Degree has been created to meet the emerging needs of patients, practitioners and employers. It enables you to move seamlessly through the various levels of preparation for careers in Emergency Medical Services, ultimately allowing you to attain the Advanced Care Paramedic Diploma or to continue on to the Bachelor of Applied Health Science Paramedic Degree.

Prospective students must be mature and highly motivated to deal with the stress of emergency care, critical care and shift work. Paramedics must think independently, exercise good judgment, communicate effectively with others and work well in multidisciplinary environments. The training provided not only addresses the necessary skills of a paramedic but also the skills required to perform with confidence in a variety of situations, effectively interact with others and maintain professional decorum whether in simple or complex situations.

There is a high demand for paramedics who are employed by public and private ambulance services provincially, nationally and internationally. Paramedics also work in a variety of industrial and community-based emergency health settings.