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By: Alex Nikotina
Published On: November 22, 2016Ashton College has been working hard to deliver innovative education and practical experiences to students. This year we had a new vision: to expand and to make Ashton College more accessible for students.
One of our expansion initiatives was opening up our Abbotsford campus earlier this year. We sat down with Baljit Dhaliwal, Abbotsford Campus Director, to talk about his work in Abbotsford.
Baljit has been working in the private school business for over 10 years. “I started as a part-time instructor, working in different private, as well as some public schools,” shares Baljit. “I’ve been a teacher, an instructor and a director in different institutions.”
On top of his knowledge and skills in the educational field, Baljit has over 30 years of business experience. “I grew up in an entrepreneurial family and my background is in the financial services industry,” says Baljit.
It was this diverse background that Baljit considers to be his biggest asset. A Campus Director at Ashton Abbotsford, Baljit is a key link between both the business side and the student side of operating a college. “We want to deliver the best education to our students, and there is a lot of background work which needs to be achieved to make it happen,” says Baljit. “My goal is to take care of those background operations, and I am excited for the opportunity.”
“Being a Campus Director really helped me realize how passionate I am about sharing the gift of education.”
A doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership with a Master’s Degree in Critical Thinking, Baljit places an especially high value on education. “Education and learning are very influential in my life,” he notes.
“I see education as a way to improve myself and my skills. Simply put, if you can learn something, improve your critical thinking, plus you enjoy sharing it, then why wouldn’t you want to learn?”
A lifelong learner himself, Baljit is passionate about his work with Ashton College. “We have great plans for our Abbotsford students,” he shares. “I am looking forward to helping them gain the skills and experiences they need to achieve success in their respective fields.”
Baljit’s goal is to build relationships within the Abbotsford and Fraser Valley communities to help serve the needs of the students. “I believe it is important to build connections with and give back to the community,” says Baljit. “I want Ashton College to do that, and I want us to be known as the centre of education for the Abbotsford and surrounding communities.”
To achieve his goals, Baljit aims to expand the programs and courses that Ashton College Abbotsford offers. “We plan to focus more on the healthcare and medical side,” says Baljit. “Of course, we will be offering the programs Ashton College is known well for, such as Immigration and HR; but our goal is to go way beyond that. People are always looking to improve themselves through education, and we are going to invigorate that thirst for education.”
“We are looking at what students in the area want and do our best to provide them with new opportunities. Lots to look forward to at Ashton Abbotsford!”
Baljit mentions that the Abbotsford campus is focusing on more start dates in the New Year. “We will have new programs starting in January as well, including the Dental Receptionist Program and the upcoming Dental Assisting Program,” says Baljit. “We are working hard to ensure that our students have a smooth experience from day one.”
Baljit is excited for the changes that are coming to Ashton Abbotsford. “It’s an inviting and challenging opportunity to be in charge of this campus, and I am really looking forward to our future development!”
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[…] dental and health lab was led by Dr. Pauline Imai, Head of the Dental Department. Campus Director, Baljit Dhaliwal, also gave an insightful speech highlighting the mission and vision of Ashton […]
Congrats and welcome Baljit! Ashton has some great online accounting courses starting in Jan for students from Abbotsford.