History, Affiliations and Rankings
Started as a vocational school in 1960, the British Columbia Institute of Technology is a public, polytechnic institute situated in Burnaby. One of the largest post-secondary institutions in British Columbia, the Institute hosted its first students in 1964 when it offered courses in Education, Engineering and Health. Since its establishment, the Institute has been offering practical-based education that goes beyond textbooks. Students at BCIT learn technical skills, gain real-world experience and develop problem-solving ability. Academically, BCIT is affiliated with Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), and Polytechnics Canada.
Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses
The institute is spread across five campuses namely, Burnaby, Aerospace Technology campus, Marine campus, Downtown Vancouver, and Annacis Island campus. It also has ten satellite branches located pan-British Columbia. BCIT boasts of its diverse curriculum which intermixes theoretical knowledge with hands-on training and thus, produces industry-ready graduates. At BCIT, there are over 300 full-time programs as well as 1000+ part-time courses to choose from, across 6 areas of study. These are - Applied and Natural Sciences, Business and Media, Computing and Information Technology, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Trades and Apprenticeships. Programs at the Bachelor’s and Master’s level, along with certificates and diploma courses are offered, with the flexibility to study on campus or via online distance learning.
Accomplishments and Alumni
The British Columbia Institute of Technology is one of the leading providers of technical, vocational education in British Columbia and Canada, which immensely serves the BC economy. 98% of the graduates from BCIT are employed, while 94% of those in training-related jobs were employed within 6 months of graduation. Further, the Aerospace Technology campus of BCIT is a 3,00,000 square ft. state-of-the-art training facility that is one of its kind in British Columbia. As a BCIT graduate, you will be joining a cohort of over 1,90,000 alumni spanning the globe. Some of the notable alumni of the Institute are - Diana Swain (Broadcaster), Ryan Rishaug (Sports Commentator), Jill Crop (Canadian Journalist), Lynn Colliar (American Anchor and Actor), Blake Price (Canadian Sports Broadcaster) and more.
Student Diversity and Visiting Companies
The British Columbia Institute of Technology has a student population of more than 50,000, of which nearly 5,000 are international students from across 120 countries around the globe. The top countries represented on the campus include India, China, Korea, Brazil, Iran, Vietnam and the United States. Also, 44% of the student body comprises female students. BCIT provides special services to its students to help them grow personally, professionally, and socially. These services include academic assistance, cultural experiences, career development, health and wellness opportunities. Fraser Health Authority, Vancity, RBC, Microsoft, SAP, Amazon, lululemon, Ledcor etc.. are some of the top recruitment companies at British Columbia Institute of Technology.
