The Northern Advancement Program is in its fourth year of operation and currently provides support to 22 first-year students. Those registered in the program have opportunities to enhance their skills in essay writing, researching, studying for exams, and the social/personal aspects of attending university. The program has already helped to increase the number of rural and aboriginal students who continue with their education after the critical first year of university.

"Shell's support to UNBC's Northern Advancement Program is an important investment in the future," says Rob Symonds, Vice-President, Frontier, Shell Canada Limited. "We invest our time and money in education - especially aboriginal education - because helping the next generation build a sustainable future is important to our business. We want aboriginal youth from Canada's North, and from across Canada, to have a future that includes the opportunity to work at Shell Canada, participate in, and benefit from, oil and gas development. We believe investing in UNBC will help achieve this goal."

Shell Canada Limited is one of the largest integrated petroleum companies in Canada. The company employs about 3,400 people at its head office in Calgary and operating locations across the country. Shell Canada continued to support education in 2000 with donations of $1.9 million to institutions and programs across the country.

The Northern Advancement Program is funded entirely by the generosity of companies such as Shell Canada.