Diploma in Digital Media and IT - IT Business Analyst Concentration (Co-op Optional)

at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Canada

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. 

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.

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with Marketing emphasis prepares students to lead organizations in making decisions on corporate branding, public relations, sales, supply chain management and advertising in an immersive environment of critical thinking. The BBA degree with Marketing emphasis focuses on teaching consumer research, measurable strategies and strong communications skills. The goal is to develop your ability for strong analytical processes critical to the operation of business. Marketing emphasis students are led through business cases of ethics, consumer behaviour and sales management. These scenarios will help you understand the decision-making processes of business and think about the many factors that affect marketing campaigns and projects. All marketing-related courses have prerequisites, so it is important to carefully plan the order your studies. Students taking the BBA with a Marketing emphasis can expect to integrate their knowledge of marketing to support different organizational and multi-disciplinary goals in Canadian and international organizations.

A comprehensive study of electrical principles and practices, this nationally accredited program deals with the operation of electrical and electronic equipment, specialized testing equipment and computer software. NAIT's Electrical Engineering Technology is a nationally accredited and internationally recognized program that provides a comprehensive study of electrical principles and practices. The program will provide graduates with the skills to perform entry-level roles in several industry disciplines, including power systems operation and protection, maintenance and commissioning, electrical machines, industrial and commercial design, power electronics, and programmable logic controllers (PLCs).

Technologists will also learn critical skills and experience in:

• The structure, operation, protection and control of electrical power generation, transmission and distribution systems and electrical motors
• The planning, design and specification of power, lighting, control and communication systems in buildings and industrial plants
• Control of plant systems and motors through the use and application of PLCs and variable-frequency drives (VFDs) and the application of communications technology linking these various plant systems
• Researching, writing and presenting technical reports

An electrical engineering technologist should possess an aptitude toward math and physics applications. In addition to electrical and technical abilities, the technologist relies upon good written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work within a team environment in a dynamic workplace.

To be successful, electrical engineering technologists need:

• Analytical skills
• Experience using recent technology
• Oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work in teams
• Basic electrical design
• Basic maintenance knowledge

Upon completion of the program, Electrical Engineering Technology graduates will have the ability to:

• Communicate and conduct themselves professionally in a workplace environment
• Identify safety hazards and implement safe work practices
• Create and interpret engineering design packages
• Analyze and troubleshoot electrical circuits and systems
• Perform entry-level field service activities
• Configure and test protection, control and communication devices and systems.

The Advanced Plumbing Technology diploma is a unique opportunity to get the technical and career essential skills you need to succeed in the plumbing industry. The diploma program offers a direct pathway into trades training at NAIT without having to first be a registered apprentice and can also serve as a pathway to apprenticeship.

The program focuses on theory and hands-on training required to master installation, repair, perform mechanical system maintenance and more. You will learn specific technical knowledge and get hands-on skills and experience. You will also get to explore new technologies and systems such as water recycling and re-use, solar and geothermal heating systems and water conservation.

Industry-approved training
A career in plumbing calls for an understanding of both technical knowledge and career essential skills. Learning outcomes for this program include:

• Industry standards, legislation and workplace expectations
• Design, installation and maintenance of all relevant systems, including:
  • Gas systems
  • Hydronic heating systems and gas appliances
  • Potable and non-potable water systems
  • Service drainage, waste and vent (DWV) systems
• Design, interpretation and conversion of drawings for plumbing installations
• Mathematical concepts for plumbing installations, and
• Effective written and verbal communication tools

The program content and structure aligns with Alberta Credential Framework expectations. After completing the program, you will have the technical training comparable to a journeyperson plumber.
After completing the program, you will be eligible to enter into an apprenticeship and complete apprenticeship hours to receive a journeyperson’s certificate.

An animal health technologist (Veterinary technologist) is a valuable member of the animal health-care team who performs a large range of tasks, such as nursing care, diagnostic procedures and client interactions, to assist veterinarians in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease in animals. The program focuses on practical skills used in both small and large animal practices, including lab work, radiographs and medical and surgical nursing.

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

You can expect to spend, on average:

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

You’ll train in NAIT’s Animal Health Clinic, which provides basic veterinary services for dogs and cats owned by NAIT staff and students. It’s here where you’ll receive hands-on experience in procedures that include spays and neuters, vaccinations and teeth cleaning.

As an Animal Health Technology student, you must handle ill or injured animals of all shapes and sizes. You’ll travel to farms and animal hospitals and treat more than just dogs and cats. To be successful in this program – and career – having a genuine interest in the treatment of all animals is a must!

NAIT’s Materials Engineering Technology Program prepares students for a diverse and rewarding career in their profession. Our graduates have employment opportunities in a wide variety of industrial settings including oil and gas, chemical processing, mining, construction, pulp and paper and research and development.

A Materials Engineering Technologist is an important member of the engineering team. Our curriculum has been developed in close co-operation with industry leaders ensuring our students have relevant hands on experience and theoretical instruction. They will have a working knowledge of the properties and behavior of engineering materials in a range of environments.

A Materials Engineering Technologist’s expertise is sought after by industry for their understanding of metals, polymers, ceramics and composites. Technologists give advice in material selection, asset and integrity inspections, weld inspections and fabrication. In laboratory settings they are involved in research and development, failure analysis and material testing. Many of our Alumni have gone on to start their own successful businesses and employ our graduates.

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree with Accounting emphasis is designed to advance students beyond a solid working knowledge of accounting and information systems to learn quantitative analysis techniques critical to business success. Accounting emphasis students in the BBA are taught to make effective financial decisions, analyze and plan business processes and adapt to changing economic conditions. Students also develop skills in personal and corporate taxation, external auditing and accounting information systems. All accounting-related courses have prerequisites, so it is important to carefully plan the order of studies.

The focus of this program is the accommodation and food and beverage segments of the hospitality industry. Students gain business and customer service skills in food and beverage service techniques, front desk check-in procedures, financial accounting, economics and written communications. The Hospitality Management program is a two-year course of study which provides students with the skill sets and abilities required to work in the hospitality industry. The program focuses on service skills for food and beverage, catering and front-desk operations with specific courses in hospitality law. The second year examines marketing, financial management, supervisory skills and advanced courses in hotel, restaurant and catering operations. A 400-hour work experience term is also included.

The program is also built around traditional business subjects such as business communications, accounting and organizational behaviour. Courses are delivered through lab and lecture formats beginning with supervisory skill development and progressing toward more complex management functions. The Hospitality Management program provides training and skill development in:

• business communications
• food and beverage service
• banquets and catering service
• operations management
• front-desk principles and procedures
• hospitality law
• supervisory principles and procedures
• organizational behaviour
• computer applications
• introduction to marketing
• introduction to accounting
• general tourism knowledge

Graduates of the Hospitality Management program may find employment in a variety of sectors and positions within the tourism industry, as:

• food and beverage servers
• food and beverage supervisors
• food and beverage managers
• banquet and catering supervisors
• front-desk supervisors
• front-desk managers
• front-desk agents
• night auditors
• reservations agents
• entrepreneurs
• consultants

Veterinary medical assistants provide support to clients, animal health technologists and veterinarians. Duties may include administration, animal handling and support with nutritional and pharmaceutical products. They also assist with record keeping and other clinical procedures and tasks.

This 1-year certificate program will provide you the skills and confidence you’ll need to work in a front-line position as a veterinary medical assistant in private veterinary clinics, livestock centres and animal shelters. In addition to classroom instruction, you’ll get in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in animal clinics across Alberta.

Good attention to detail? Thrive on a fast pace and heavy workload? These are important traits of people interested in this program. If you are a people person and enjoy helping them with their animals, this program is a good fit for you.

What You Will LearnCareer 
Hands-on, industry-relevant training
To work as a veterinary medical assistant, you will need to have a genuine interest in animals and their welfare. It’s important to understand that you will need to be comfortable working with a variety of animals, both large and small.

After a year of classroom instruction, your clinical placement will give you hands-on experience at an animal clinic where you’ll get a taste of what your future career could look like. Travel may be necessary as some placements are outside of Edmonton.

You will also regularly support the animal health technologists at the NAIT Animal Clinic. 

As a student in the program, you can expect to spend on average:

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