British Columbia Institute of Technology, Burnaby

The department of Applied & Natural Sciences offers more than 35 courses in the fields of :

Applied science

Chemical and environmental technology

Sustainable energy management

Forensic science and management

Restoration of aquatic ecosystems

It focuses on churning out trained graduates who think creatively to find a solution to the existing problems in the world. Ecological Restoration students are provided with practical experience at Guichon Creek located on the Burnaby Campus. Marine Campus offers bridge simulators to Nautical Science students to get them trained in realistic marine scenarios. Burnaby Campus also provides opportunities for Forensic students to investigate a mock crime scene and gather evidence.

Applied science programs are offered through the following BCIT schools:

1. School of Construction and the Environment offers unique programs in science and sustainability which are always in demand in the industry. It is the largest trades training institution in British Columbia. The employment rate for degree graduates is 98%, and for diploma and certificate students, it is 97%. The school has state-of-the-art facilities which include fire simulation theatre, 77-seat Planetarium, operating demonstration forest, salmonid enhancement facility, building envelope test facility, Elevated Research Platform (ERP), Green Roof Research Facility, well-equipped building science materials laboratory.

2. School of Energy at BCIT offers various industrial and technical programs that enable graduates to become successful tradesperson, technician, technologist, or engineer. It offers part-time, full-time and distance education courses in areas like electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial mechanical trades, and digital communications.

3. School of Computing and Academic Studies at BCIT is the largest Information Technology education provider in Western Canada. It offers more than 250 courses and 40 programs that can be pursued both full-time and part-time. The areas of study include forensic science, cybersecurity, digital forensics, forensic health science, intelligence analysis, fraud investigation and, financial crime investigation.

4. School of Health Sciences at BCIT provides education and essential training and experience in the field of healthcare. The main areas of study are electrodiagnostic, food safety and processing, health care management, health protection, laboratory sciences, medical imaging technologies, nursing, and speciality nursing, therapeutics,  prosthetics and orthotics and, radiation therapy. It has a new advanced new health sciences centre.

5. School of Transportation at BCIT provides education and training in all modes of transport including road, rail, air, and sea. The programs offered in the school include aerospace technology programs, marine programs, motive power programs, trades access programs, and technology management program.

The School of Business and Media is one of the largest schools in the field in Western Canada. They offer 30 full-time programs and 80 part-time programs. The programs offer training in skills like accounting, video production, technical arts, digital arts, broadcast and media communication, professional real estate, marketing management, operations management, and editing. Burnaby Campus has a specialized television and video production instructor to teach video technology. Graduates have career opportunities like operations manager, tourism marketing manager, customs broker, and radio program producer.

The department of Computing and IT at BCIT is one of the biggest providers of computing diploma graduates in British Columbia. They offer a lot of industry-specific part-time courses. The new course, namely Industrial Network Cybersecurity diploma is offered only by BCIT in Canada. The graduates are equipped with skills in information technology and cybersecurity that enable them to build a software like applications and games and also protect the networks from cyberthreats.

The students pursuing computer information technology collaborate on a project in the TEC Hub at the downtown campus. The focus areas of study are industrial network cybersecurity, forensic investigation, games development, and network security applications development.

The schools offering courses related to the Department of Computing and IT are as below:

1. The School of Business at BCIT offers more than 100 programs at both Burnaby and Downtown campuses.

The areas of study include : Accounting Finance and insurance Business administration Broadcast and media Digital arts Media and design Marketing management Operations management.

Accounting

Finance and insurance

Business administration

Broadcast and media

Digital arts

Media and design

Marketing management

Operations management.

2. The School of Computing and Academic Studies at BCIT also provides courses related to computing that focus on :

Computer information technology

Computer systems technology

Software development

Full-stack web development

Computer systems.

3. The School of Energy at BCIT offers courses that focus on energy efficiency in industrial processes and the development of alternative cost-effective energy resources. It has The Spartan Controls Centre for Energy Education and Research.

The Department of Engineering offers education and training in four branches of engineering, namely civil, electrical, mechanical, and mining. BCIT is the main provider of courses in industrial instrumentation and power engineering in the region of British Columbia. Burnaby Campus provides a separate studio to architectural science students. Aerospace Technology Campus has shop floors fitted with advanced turbines for the aircraft gas turbine technician students to have practical exposure. The department aims to train the students to innovate new things in their field of study. This department has a 100% placement rate. 

The BCIT schools that offer engineering programs are: 

1. The School of Energy at BCIT has associations with :

Applied Sciences Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC)

Engineers & Geoscientists of BC (EGBC)

BC Ministry of Advanced Education (MAE)

Ministry of Jobs, Trade, and Technology

Industry Training Authority (ITA)

The school has partnerships with SAIT/NAIT/BCIT and Panglobal Training Systems, Ltd.

2. The School of Construction & the Environment at BCIT offers 270 part-time and 60 full-time programs.

The engineering areas in focus are : Architectural technology Building technology Structural CADD Graphics technology Building construction technology Building energy modeling Civil engineering Construction drawings Estimation, management Operations and supervision

Architectural technology

Building technology

Structural CADD

Graphics technology

Building construction technology

Building energy modeling

Civil engineering

Construction drawings

Estimation, management

Operations and supervision

Additional focus is paid on geomatics, mineral exploration and mining, and renewable energy electrical systems installation and maintenance.

3. The School of Transportation at BCIT offers courses in aerospace engineering and marine engineering.

The school collaborates with various industries like : Airbus Helicopters Avcorp Industries Inc. Bombardier Aerospace CHC Helicopter Cummins Inc. Ford Motors of Canada General Motors of Canada Honda Canada Kawasaki Motors Corp. Mitsubishi Motors Canada Algoma Central Corporation BC Ferries Maersk Line Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Seaspan International Ltd. 

Airbus Helicopters

Avcorp Industries Inc.

Bombardier Aerospace

CHC Helicopter

Cummins Inc.

Ford Motors of Canada

General Motors of Canada

Honda Canada

Kawasaki Motors Corp.

Mitsubishi Motors Canada

Algoma Central Corporation

BC Ferries

Maersk Line

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

Seaspan International Ltd. 

4. The School of Health Sciences at BCIT offers Biomedical engineering programs that are focussed on hospitals and the medical services industry. The department provides access to labs, lectures and weeks of practical training to create a job-ready professional. The alumni have won awards such as the 2018 Outstanding Canadian Biomedical Engineering Technologist Award at the  Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society conference.

The Department of Health Sciences at BCIT offers programs in nursing, clinical genetics, cardiovascular perfusion, electroneurophysiology, nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance imaging, and radiation therapy. They are one of the largest nursing program providers in the province. Health care professionals improve the quality of life of other people.

The graduates are trained to support and help vulnerable people. At BCIT, students learn health sciences using simulation technology and also by practicing in the real clinical lab environment. The students can choose to work at the hospital's urgent care or further study and specialize in a specific area. BCIT offers Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Training (VERT) at Burnaby campus for the students so that they can learn and work with patients suffering from cancer.

In addition to it, the campus also provides labs with patient simulators for Cardiac Sciences students. The department holds 100% placement rates for nursing and diagnostic medical sonography. The students of this department have various career opportunities including nuclear medicine technologists, diagnostic medical sonographers, radiation therapists and, cardiology technologists.

The department of Trades and Apprenticeship at BCIT is the largest trades training provider in British Columbia. They have an employment rate of 96% apprenticeship completers. They are also a national leader in trades programming for women. BCOT offers training for more than 20 trades including machinist, ironworker, HVAC technician, cabinetmaker, and electrician.

They also offer Trades Discovery Programs that provide students with the necessary information and support to help them choose the trade to get trained in. BCIT has heavy equipment, welding and carpentry shops. The department holds placement rates of 100% in Security system technician, 96% in joinery apprenticeship, and 96% in overall apprenticeship.

The Trades are Provided through 3 Schools as Below - 

1. School of Energy at BCIT prepares students for technical industrial careers. It provides labs and facilities including six well-instrumented flow stations, unit operations lab, PLC/DCS Lab, Machine shops, mechatronics, woodwork, thermal and fluid engineering labs.

2. School of Transportation at BCIT offers programs in trades that are inclusive of two weeks of work placement. The work placements are provided through the industry partners, namely BC Hydro Coast Mountain Bus Company, PCL, and Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) Engineering Department.

3. School of Construction and the Environment at BCIT offers certificate and apprenticeship programs in trades. The programs are offered in the fields of automated controls installation and maintenance, boiler making, carpentry, electrical, gas fitting, industrial wood processing, ironworking, joinery, metal fabrication, plumbing, and welding.