Diploma in Digital Media and IT - Game Design Concentration (Co-op Optional)

at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Canada

The Personal Fitness Trainer program combines the hands-on practice of physical training and safe exercise with the knowledge of nutrition and lifestyle counselling to create one of the most in-demand fitness programs in Alberta.

NAIT’s Personal Fitness Trainer faculty have an average of 20 years of industry experience and the program incorporates business management and marketing practices for entrepreneurial graduates that want to start their own fitness empire.

The Personal Fitness Trainer program is offered online and in-class.

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.

The Game Design area of emphasis teaches you how to plan and create video games from concept through to creation.

Hands-on, industry-relevant skills:-
In the DMIT - Game Design program, you will get first-hand experience designing, building and assembling a working prototype of a game level. You will learn the art and technical aspects involved in creating and implementing visual game assets, such as environments, characters, vehicles, cameras and special effects. Courses will also focus on developing story and audio.

Some of the specific tools you will learn to use include 3D Studio Max, Unity 3D and Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

You will leave this program prepared to enter the industry, armed with practical experience and a well-crafted portfolio that highlights your talent.

You are curious about technology and its endless possibilities. You like to challenge yourself to find a solution to a problem. You want to be the go-to desktop or server support guru for technical advice. You are fascinated by cloud computing and how it works. This is a great way to jump into the field of technology because you’ll learn how to support secure servers and network infrastructures using on premise and cloud technologies. Come and join the dynamic and exciting field of technology! CNA – Supporting IT!

Hands-on, industry-relevant skills:

The Computer Network Administrator (CNA) program provides students with the fundamental knowledge and hands-on technical skills required to be successful in today’s information technology world. The CNA program teaches students foundational technology skills, core knowledge areas, and strategies for being successful. Students get specialized training with up-to-date applied technology.  

Through the course of the program, you can expect to learn:

• PC fundamentals
• Microsoft Windows server and client operations
• Linux server and client operations
• Virtualization
• Cloud computing
• Scripting and automation
• Network infrastructure
• Troubleshooting
• Assessing and supporting end user needs
• Supporting basic security policies and practices
• Working effectively and ethically as an individual or member of a team

Architectural technologists assist in translating design concepts into graphic images, and then converting those images into technical drawings and specifications that result in creation of the built environment. Students in the Architectural Technology program learn freehand sketching techniques, but the program's main emphasis is on manual and computer-aided drawing skills.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills

Throughout the program, you will study theoretical concepts and learn how to:

• Create and coordinate a full set of working drawings to industry standards
• Participate in all aspects of the design process, including the presentation of design solutions
• Research and apply various codes, standards and systems used in design and construction
• Visualize and communicate design in both 2 and 3 dimensions
• Use current architectural tools and software common
• Contribute individually and as part of a team in a professional architectural environment

Architectural technologists must possess superior presentation and communication skills in order to present drawings and plans to clients, workers and management teams. Throughout the program, you will develop your word processing, visual presentation and business communication skills.

The Industrial Heavy Equipment Technology diploma program with teach you how to diagnose and repair machinery in the heavy equipment industry competently and safely. The program focuses on highway and off-highway mobile equipment, as well as engine-powered stationary equipment used in mining, logging, trucking, agriculture, gas processing, oilfield servicing and construction.

Industries including mining, logging, trucking, agriculture, transportation, gas processing, oilfield servicing and construction are all in-demand for heavy equipment service personnel with an advanced level of technical training to tackle the challenge of advancing technology.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant training
Industrial Heavy Equipment Technology is a two-year diploma program consisting of four 15-week semesters. Studies include

• Fluid mechanics
• Petroleum chemistry
• Fuel and hydraulic systems
• Electricity and electronics
• Fleet maintenance
• Communications
• Leadership

The training is divided equally into theoretical and practical learning. Local industrial field trips will be taken.

Train at NAIT
Students can expect to spend, on average

• 30 hours per week attending classes over the course of a semester
• 10 to 12 hours per week studying and completing class assignments

Training is provided at NAIT Main Campus in Edmonton. Some training is also delivered in the NAIT HET Building (11940 - 109 st NW), just north of Main Campus. Labs are fully equipped with mock-ups and training aids, which students disassemble, inspect and reassemble.

Do you have an eye for design?
The Engineering Design Technology program will provide you with both a theoretical and practical education that will serve as the foundation for a career as an engineering designer.

This program could be a great fit for you if you:

• Demonstrate a high attention to detail
• Have good math and physics skills
• Enjoy working with computers
• Enjoy working in an office environment

Engineering Design Technology presents a broad spectrum of engineering content, primarily focused on the fundamental principles of engineering design and computer applications common to a variety of engineering disciplines.

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.

The IT Business Analyst area of emphasis will show you how to translate business requirements into a language that IT developers can use to create software and hardware solutions.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
In the IT Business Analysis area of emphasis, you will learn how to help organizations determine their needs, identify problems and plan and implement IT solutions to those problems. You will learn how to design effective and efficient business processes, and how to clearly communicate business strategy and IT development plans.

You will also learn how to:

• Elicit business and software requirements directly from stakeholders
• Document requirements using industry-standard tools and templates
• Map and evaluate business processes
• Manage business analysis activities

Co-op Opportunities
As a result of DMIT's close connection with industry, various co-op opportunities exist for students in the DMIT program. Many companies offer our students paid co-op positions that provide direct experience in specific areas of study. Co-op is also seen as a staffing strategy for many organizations.

NAIT's Alternative Energy Technology diploma explores non-traditional energy sources, providing students with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for careers in a growing sector of the economy. Consumer demand for alternative energy sources in new and retrofitting projects is growing rapidly. This diploma will prepare you for a career in a diverse field, with the knowledge and skills needed to support and promote the growing sustainable energy industry throughout Western Canada.

The program focuses on the major alternative energy sources, including: Solar, Geothermal, Wind, Biofuels, Hydro, Fuel Cell, and Co-Generation. Advanced courses examine system design, integration of multiple energy sources, and life cycle analysis. Students will enhance their understanding of the industry through studies in project management, economics and business, and energy management.

What You Will Learn
Through a combination of classroom education and hands-on learning in our state-of-the-art Alternative Energy Centre, you can expect to become familiar with system design, how to integrate multiple energy sources and system life cycle analyses.

The Forest Technology program provides technologists with skills that allow them to plan and carry out resource management activities without compromising environmental sustainability. The art, science and practice of managing forests and related resources (also known as forestry) is a rapidly intensifying technical field. Forest ecosystems are one of the most important components of our biosphere, which is why this scientific field has emerged as a vital component to solving the environmental challenges we face today. The Forest Technology program is designed to train technologists with skill sets that allow them to plan and carry out resource management activities without compromising the integrity or sustainability of the ecosystems in which they practice.

Forest technologists typically find employment with industry, government agencies, consulting firms, conservation groups and private landowners. The positions typically involve a mixture of work in both the forest and the office. We recommend all applicants have a thorough knowledge of what employment in the forestry industry entails before applying to this program.

Interior Design Technologists translate designs concepts into technical drawings that ultimately result in the creation of the built environment.

In this program, you will learn the relationships between functional, technical and aesthetic elements in interior environments. You will be trained in products and materials, construction methods, building services and more. Most drawings will be completed on the computer but you will also learn free-hand sketching techniques to create construction drawings, floor plans and more.

If you have an interest in drawing, an aptitude for three dimensional thinking or a strong desire to learn how things are constructed this is the program for you.