Moving to a new country can be scary. However, at NorQuest College the development of skills in cultural understanding allows newcomers to succeed in the global community.
“For me, NorQuest College is one of the most wonderful schools in Edmonton,” says Rachelle Ann Herrera, 23, who arrived in the city from the Philippines almost three years ago. “It gave me more confidence.”
Before attending NorQuest, she often avoided conversations in public. After completing the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and the English as Second Language (ESL) programs, she had the tools to become comfortable in her surroundings.
“The College taught me how to mingle in a crowd and how to communicate with others,” she says.
Herrera is now a member of the student council and serves as a student ambassador, promoting the College at public events. Additionally, she is enrolled in the Open Studies program for the fall semester and is looking forward to entering NorQuest College’s Practical Nursing program in 2014.
“I really want to be a nurse because I want to help people,” she says.
Helping seems to be a big part of Herrera’s character. When she first heard about NorQuest College two years ago, she made sure members of her family took the opportunity to succeed as well.
“I encouraged my mom to study to become a health care aide (HCA),” she says. “And I also encouraged my sister to go to NorQuest College because she is a little bit shy and I knew it would help her.”
As a result, both of those women completed the LINC and ESL programs before graduating with HCA certificates in the spring.
For me, NorQuest College is one of the most wonderful schools in Edmonton. It gave me more confidence.