Train for a new career
A new career can mean learning new skills in a VIU program. But what if you’re missing the high school courses you need to get into the program? Or what if you need extra help with your English skills? It’s okay. You can do this – and Pathways is here to help.
Pathways is a free program for people who need to take Adult Basic Education (ABE) or English as a Second Language (ESL) courses to get into VIU programs.
How Pathways works
You tell us what VIU program you want to take, and we help you make it happen. We set you up with course work, support and community.
Course work
Your ABE or ESL course work will relate to the program you want to take. If you want to take nursing, you’ll learn words related to nursing. And you’ll do math problems that you might have to do in the nursing field.
Support
A Pathways coordinator will help you:
- stay on track
- work with a Student Success Advisor to plan your course schedule
- find other supports if you need them
Community
You will join a group of students who are planning to take the same program as you. You can help each other study and support each other on your career path.
You also meet people working in the field you want to enter. They can give you tips about the career you’re working toward.
Sign Up for Pathways
Learn more about Pathways or sign up by emailing the Program Coordinator Roberta Jenkins at Roberta.Jenkins@viu.ca.
You have no idea how grateful I am!!! Thank you soooooo much!!! I’m understanding things that were totally foreign and confusing to me before. Thanks for your support and encouragement! It gave me the extra nudge I needed to hear this morning. “I can do this!”
Valene Grovum
New! Trades Pathways for Newcomers to Canada
Want to improve your English language skills and learn about trades programs? Trades Pathways for Newcomers helps you prepare for work in Canada’s trades sector. You’ll gain skills to succeed in the Canadian workplace, get hands-on experience, and learn how to apply to VIU Trades programs.
Who can take Trades Pathways for Newcomers?
To take this program you must be a Canadian citizen or have permanent resident, refugee or CUAET status.
Trades Pathway for Newcomers is a 15-week program. Each week you do 15 hours of course work.
Sign up for Trades Pathways for Newcomers
To sign up for the program or learn more about Trades Pathways, please contact Darrell.Harvey@viu.ca.
In a lot of ways university can be overwhelming and feel daunting. And there isn't just one person or one place that you can go for help. Every service or department has a different person you have to connect in order to get the help that you need. And having to do this over and over again can really become really stressful. Pathways and Roberta has given me a place to go where I can get some support in all of those areas.
Kylie Fraser