Northern Lakes College is a public, board-governed community college in Slave Lake, Alberta, serving adults across a large northern region.
Northern Lakes College is a public college governed by a board, transitioned from a provincially-administered institution. Its main campus is located at 1201 Main Street SE, Slave Lake, AB T0G 2A3. The college's mission is to provide quality educational programs and services that enable adults to continue their education, improve their employment opportunities, and enhance their quality of life, with respect for cultures and the needs of communities. Its stated values are Community, Respect, Accessibility, Collaboration, Excellence, and Lifelong Learning.
The college traces its history back to 1970-71, when Education Technicians were trained at the Alberta Vocational Centre (AVC) in Grouard. The AVC Grouard and the Community Vocational Centres were amalgamated in 1988. Board governance took effect on September 1, 1997, under an Interim Governing Authority, and the 11 member Board was established in April 1998. The college launched under its new name on August 25, 1999, celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1996, and marked its 50th anniversary in 2020.
The college delivers programs through a Supported Distance Learning (SDL) model, a key delivery tool that helps it reach students throughout the region and beyond. Program areas listed on the website include Academic Upgrading, Apprenticeship Trades, Business & Administrative Studies, Health Careers, Human Service Careers, Pre-Employment Trades, Resource Technology, and University Studies.
The college's service region spans more than one-quarter of the Province of Alberta and includes fifteen First Nations and four Métis Settlements. Listed campuses include Fairview, High Prairie, Slave Lake, and Stony Point (Wabasca). Facilities listed for the Slave Lake Campus include meeting and conference spaces, a gymnasium with a climbing wall, the Northern Lights Aquatics Centre, Momma B's Second Helping cafeteria and catering, student residences, and a library.
Applicants can apply through the Apply Alberta (APAS) application for Alberta high school graduates or through the NLC Application for Admission, which is a direct application to the college. International students are admitted with academic transcript assessment, and a placement test is available as an alternative to transcripts.