NICOLA VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

The Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) is BC’s Aboriginal public post-secondary institute. NVIT was formed as a private institute in 1983 by the founding bands of Coldwater, Nooaitch, Shackan, Upper Nicola and Lower Nicola Bands. Working from a basement in the downtown core of Merritt, three instructors taught thirteen students the basics of what is now our Natural Resource Technology program. The program was taught in an environment that promoted traditional ways and fostered student success, a vision that sticks with NVIT today. Gradually building its program offerings to address Aboriginal community needs such as socio-economic marginalization, environmental concerns and political issues with programs like Social Work, Natural Resource Technology and Aboriginal Community Economic Development, NVIT became and still remains a unique and important public post-secondary institute in Canada.