EDUCATION AND TRAINING FACILITIES
Educational opportunities in the Town of Vermilion are outstanding at all levels from Kindergarten to College.
The public schools consist of a modern elementary and intermediate facility (Vermilion Elementary School) and a newly renovated junior and senior high school (J.R. Robson High School). J.R. Robson High School won the attention of the computer industry when it became a pilot school for the Department of Education Career and Technology Services. As a result it has recently become an IBM demonstration school and test site for several software companies. In addition, the school’s 90 personal computers are on a fibre-optic network linking to a software storehouse or server. The server set-up includes CD-ROM players and running encyclopaedias. Future plans include a link with Vermilion Elementary School and Lakeland College.
The Catholic separate school (St. Jerome's), which has also been recently renovated, is a complete grade school facility accommodating grades K-12. They accept the challenge of Christ, in cooperation with family and community. They commit themselves to quality education by responding to the needs of each student.
The School of Hope is a home based educational school under East Central Alberta Catholic Separate Schools Regional Division #16. It offers basic home schooling and online schooling to over 2200 students throughout the province and has 70 certificated teachers in its employ. All students and teachers work from their own homes.
Vermilion Outreach School is an alternative High School for students who are not presently attending school. A variety of programs are offered to help students succeed in a safe, caring, community environment.
When Lakeland College opened its doors as the Vermilion School of Agriculture in 1913, there were only 34 students enrolled. Today Lakeland College has two campuses and serves about 8,000 full-time and part-time students annually. Lakeland’s comfortable setting allows students to focus on learning. Programs are designed to ease the transition into the work force and/or further study at a four-year institution. Students get a university-caliber education at Lakeland --- but without the red tape, the big crowds and the distractions.
The options for study at Lakeland are as diverse as the college. The Vermilion campus is the site of programs in agricultural sciences, business, environmental sciences, emergency services and public safety, human services, interior design technology, tourism and trades pre-employment and apprenticeship technical training. Programs in academic upgrading, business, event coordinator, health and wellness, heavy oil operations technician and university transfer are available at the Lloydminster campus.
Continuing education courses are available throughout the year and the college also develops customized programs to serve business and industry. Lakeland College is the sole provider of commercial pesticide applicator and dispenser certification in Alberta.
Lakeland College’s Vermilion campus is well known for its Emergency Training Centre. The training field includes multiple storey structural towers, a dangerous goods training area, and props that simulate industrial and residential fires, vehicle extrications, and aircraft crash rescues. The Vermilion campus is also home to an energy cabin used for applied research purposes and by environmental sciences students studying renewable energy systems. One of the largest college-operated farms in Canada is located at the Vermilion campus. An animal care clinic, AI barn, bull test and feedlot areas, cattle and sheep facility, dairy barn, swine unit, indoor riding arena and crop land provide our students with the opportunity to live the learning.
While students are the reason that any college exists, its facilities often become a focal point for community activities. Lakeland College is proud of the diverse range of facilities and resources that are available for both students and the broader community. So, stay a night or two at Alumni House. Participate in a summer camp. Go swimming, play squash or go for a workout in the recreation centre. Book a meeting or a wedding through conference services. Take in arts and culture at Alumni Hall Theatre or take lessons in the music studios. Watch a rodeo in the indoor riding arena. There’s always something to do at Lakeland College!
Focus Vermilion is a non-profit agency promoting entrepreneurship to gain independent living for the disabled. This group offers vocational training, support for employment and one-on-one support workers.