Dr. Feltham eager to bring polytechnic leadership past to help further GPRC’s future

Dr. Feltham comes to GPRC after nearly nine years at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton as its President and CEO, serving from 2011 until his retirement in December of 2019.

Prior to that, he served as the Dean for the I.H. Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba.

He says through his many years in the post-secondary system, he had travelled to most of Alberta’s post-secondary institutions and communities. However, Grande Prairie and GPRC were places he had never been to until earlier this month.

So far, Dr. Feltham says he is impressed with the community.

“I must admit, I have never flown into a place where it was more obvious what the economic drivers were. And that is a great thing,” said Feltham, recalling his arrival into YQU. “You see all of the forestry, you saw what was happening in the energy sector, and saw what was happening in agriculture.”

With that, Feltham is hoping to quickly learn more about the economy and labour market in the Peace Region to continue to help local talent receive the right education closer to home, while also keeping skilled employees in the region.

With the college continuing to work towards degree granting status, Dr. Feltham also feels he brings the right leadership from his time leading a polytechnic school at NAIT, as the college looks to transition to a polytechnic university.

Though he says students, faculty and the community alike should not necessarily focus on what the name of the school is, but more so the education it is providing.

“I have always been a huge believer in, wherever possible, being able to align a post-secondary institution back to the core economy of the region,” said Dr. Feltham. “I think polytechnic education does that particularly well.”

“I think the notion of really being focused back on the broader needs of our community… and making sure that our programming truly is reflecting what learners need now and into the future.”

One of the biggest challenges Feltham faces as he takes over at GPRC is the financial hurdles that relate to reductions in provincial grant funding. Those reductions in 2020 forced GPRC leadership to cut $8 million from its annual budget, while also laying off 85 employees due to a 13 per cent reduction in the Campus Alberta Grant.

With further reductions resulting from Budget 2021, Feltham feels he and his leadership team will be able to work around that to help elevate GPRC, rather than see it falter.

“I never think about finances as that being the objective. Finances are just a constraint,” said Feltham. “It’s more how do we do the things that are truly critical for our community and our learners, knowing that we are always going to be financially challenged? This time, perhaps, more than before.”

“These are difficult times for GPRC and for Alberta’s post-secondary institutions. These are difficult times for our province,” added Feltham. “I think it is important that we all find how we can do the things we need to do, in the best possible way, given the constraints that we’re faced.”

As for how long he will remain at the helm, Dr. Feltham says there is no timetable for when his permanent replacement might be named.

In the meantime, though, Feltham says he is going to take in and enjoy his time in Grande Prairie and at GPRC as much as possible.

“I’m like a kid again. I get to explore new things, see new things, but really listen to the aspirations of people within our institution and people outside that count on our institution,” said Feltham.

“I’m hoping to leave a little bit of knowledge behind as well, that helps inform the future.”

by Shaun Penner

Dr. Feltham eager to bring polytechnic leadership past to help further GPRC’s future

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