Cambrian College of Applied Arts and Technology is the largest college in northern Ontario. Of its 5,000 full- and part-time students, 1,500 are international students from 50 countries and more than 600 are Indigenous. They study in Sudbury, the largest city in northern Ontario and the area’s hub for education, health care, commerce and retail. Two satellite sites are in Espanola and on Manitoulin Island.

The college offers more than 90 different certificate, diploma, advanced diploma and graduate certificate programs, in fields such as community services, creative arts and design, environmental monitoring, health sciences, law and justice, IT, business and skilled trades. Cambrian will offer its first stand-alone degree program—a bachelor of nursing—in the fall of 2022.

Cambrian has received national recognition for its programs in skilled trades and information technology: the school is a certified Cisco Networking Academy and since 2005, the college’s students have won more than 70 medals at both the Skills Ontario and Skills Canada competitions.

The college has introduced several new programs in the last few years, including fitness and health promotion, media communications, massage therapy, game design and cybersecurity. Seven new programs are coming this year, including a general arts and science degree with an Indigenous specialization. The school has spent 10 years on Research Infosource’s list of the top 50 colleges in Canada for research. Cambrian’s applied research strengths are in Indigenous education and the mining sector.

The Wabnode Centre for Indigenous Services offers social and cultural support and teachings for Indigenous students, along with campus-wide ceremonies. Cambrian was the first Ontario college to work with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba.

The college also features the Glenn Crombie Centre for Accessibility, Counselling and Wellness, providing a range of services for students who require special accommodations, counselling or assistive technology. Students with mobility or psychological issues can also receive assistance.