A milestone for graduates and families
More than 460 Assiniboine College graduates will be recognized in Brandon on Friday as they mark the completion of studies in 32 programs. The ceremony will bring together graduates, families and friends to recognize the work behind their credentials and the transition into careers across several sectors of Manitoba’s economy.
The event is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. in the Manitoba Room at the Keystone Centre. People who cannot attend in person will be able to watch the ceremony through a livestream on the college’s website.
Assiniboine College president Mark Frison described convocation as an important moment for both the students and the people who supported them. For graduates, the ceremony represents the beginning of new professional opportunities. For families and friends, it provides an opportunity to share in a milestone reached through study and dedication.
“Graduation ceremonies are meaningful and memorable days, for the graduates opening the door to new opportunities, and for their families and friends who are able to recognize this milestone alongside them.”
Graduates entering essential fields
The graduating class includes students prepared to work in areas ranging from health care and early learning to agriculture, business, technology and the skilled trades. Among those receiving recognition are more than 65 Practical Nursing and Comprehensive Health Care Aide students, as well as 50 graduates from early learning programs.
| Program area | Number identified |
|---|---|
| Practical Nursing and Comprehensive Health Care Aide | More than 65 |
| Early learning programs | 50 |
| All programs represented at the Brandon ceremony | More than 460 graduates |
The figures reflect the range of training represented at the Brandon ceremony. The college said graduates are preparing to enter the workforce in fields that support communities through direct care, education, technical expertise, business services, food production and skilled labour.
A health-care graduate’s experience
Jillian Klassen is among the Practical Nursing graduates. She began working earlier this year in the neonatal intensive care unit and on the pediatric maternity floors at Brandon Regional Health Centre, connecting her college training with work involving newborns, children and families.
Klassen said her experience at Assiniboine reinforced the importance of patient-centred care. She encouraged future students to approach their work with compassion and to pay close attention to what patients are saying and feeling.
“Just make sure you do kind, compassionate care, always listen to your patients and know what they are needing and feeling.”
Her comments point to the personal responsibilities carried by graduates entering health-care roles, where technical training is paired with communication and empathy. The college’s graduating health-care students will be moving into work at a time when their skills are needed by patients, families and health-care employers across Manitoba.
Recognition extends beyond Brandon
Manitoba Minister of Advanced Education and Training Renée Cable congratulated the graduating class and highlighted the potential for students to contribute in communities throughout the province. She said Manitoba benefits when graduates choose to establish their futures in the province and emphasized the importance of the fields represented by the class.
In a message to graduates, Cable identified health care, education, business, agriculture and technology among the areas where their work can support Manitoba’s continued growth. Her comments also recognized the broader community impact of students who take their training into workplaces and communities across the province.
- The Brandon ceremony begins at 2 p.m. Friday.
- The event will be held in the Manitoba Room at the Keystone Centre.
- A livestream will be available through assiniboine.net/grad.
- More than 350 additional graduates will be recognized at a Winnipeg ceremony in November.
Assiniboine will hold that second ceremony in Winnipeg in November, where more than 350 graduates will be recognized. In Brandon, Friday’s event will give the local graduating class a chance to celebrate together before beginning the next stage of their education and working lives.
