When Gabrielle “Gabby” Yazbek and Andrew Carter chose to enroll at NBCC, they never imagined their decision to study at home in New Brunswick would take them more than 5,000 kilometres across the Atlantic to Randers, Denmark.
Gabby, a second-year Building Engineering Technology student, and Andrew, a recent Carpentry graduate, were among four NBCC students selected to travel to Denmark this past May as part of Bridge the Ocean. This initiative, funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and Global Skills Opportunity, introduces students to the global labour market by facilitating student mobility opportunities between European and Canadian colleges.
“I’ve always dreamt about participating in an international education experience, but never really thought it would be an option for me,” said Gabby. “The opportunity to meet people from other parts of the globe really opens up your mind and expands your worldview to what is possible.”
While in Denmark, program participants called Tradium their home away from home. During their stay, students gained valuable hands-on experience in the College’s modern workshop facilities, explored the rich history embedded in local architecture, and learned more about the region’s unique building styles. Over the course of the two-week study module Gabby, Andrew, and their classmates also formed strong bonds with their European counterparts from Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands.
“I think it’s really important that more students have opportunities to gain as much diverse learning experience as they can,” said Andrew. “I’m currently working at a job site in Moncton and find myself applying a lot of what I learned from my time in Denmark.”
Shawn Ethier, NBCC’s Director of Enrolment Management agrees.
“Experiential learning, collaboration, and community are central elements of the NBCC experience,” he said. “We were thrilled to collaborate with such fantastic partners on this initiative and look forward to delivering more opportunities for our students to participate in international learning experiences.”
Since launching in 2022, eight students from NBCC’s hospitality, engineering, and carpentry programs have travelled to Europe with Bridge the Ocean.
