instructor

student researcher

research associate

project manager

program assistant

Nait

What is the best part of working at the company?
For me, it was teaching in the classroom.  NAIT provided resources for instructors to access and supports to lean on. I loved being able to talk with instructors from other areas not related to mine and gain new insights. I was with NAIT for over 23 years. I would not trade that time for another career. It was fun.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
I always was afraid to enter the classroom. Not because I did not know my field, but I was afraid I would give the wrong information. As a result, I always made sure my research was impeccable, and I could answer and engage students with the best possible solutions while guiding them to search for answers. I never gave the answer outright but rather I tried to tease out the information from the class. As a result, I was always stressed about the information and its value.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
That culture would have to depend on each faculty. And for that I cannot answer on the macro.  I believe NAIT attempted to foster a good relationship with the faculty, but maybe that did not appear as such. NAIT should be first and foremost an educational institution. Unfortunately, due to certain constraints, it operates as a business. Education should never be a business. Unfortunately, the current stance of forces outside of NAIT's control dictate the reality of its operation. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
For me, I would arrive about 7 AM every day. I would review all emails and take care of the most pressing details at that time. I would then focus on my first class and what I needed to get ready.  Once that was done, I would typically research the subjects I was instructing making sure that I did not lose sight of the goal, that it was the student that was important. In other words, I always taught as if the student had never heard of anything I was teaching. This action would progress through the day, and quite often I would not leave until well after the classes had ended.

NAIT is an amazing place. You can learn to do anything, and NAIT is the best place to start. Working there you can find or make a niche in your area of expertise. The winter holiday party last year was
LEGENDARY. Most times while working at NAIT I felt like a meaningful part of the institute. The opportunities and experience gained working in such a cutting edge environment, with passionate people is truely magnificent, but it will come at a cost. The bureaucratic inertia that is imposed by the shame that is the executive managerial level, full of ego-driven corporate political power games that create feifdoms and jealously guarded zones of control, will drive you mad and make you want to weep and forfeit. Sometimes that attitude trickles down and infests and manifests in various departments insular cultures. 

HR messed up my Tax documents twice. My T1's. Two years in a row. After I pointed it out to them, twice.

You are not safe beyond the next political funding cut. You can be employee of the year and they'll still toss you to make the new political appointed executive budget-slashing toady happy.

Do you like to solve problems, and constantly be on the go? then this is the place for you. You are constantly busy, dealing with the problems within your own "department"

Do you like progressive change?  This place is not for you. It takes roughly 6 months for anything to happen, and if you want to create real change, the door will be slammed on your face really fast.

NAIT has a problem where everything is silo'd, meaning one department doesn't talk to another, and the people who try to bridge those gaps, are often left in the dark. 

Do you want to get paid decently? NAIT does pay decently, but there hasn't been really any cost of living increases for 7 years, so the money you are earning is roughly 20-30% below the actual cost of living in Alberta now.

There is a problem brewing within the organization, where change is happening, but it is going in the wrong direction.

This would have been a dream job a place to learn, develop & expand. everyday was a challenge to improve my Instructional skills mentoring and the programs advancement. 
Unfortunately the program management was stuck in 1990 the last time the course curriculum or any relevant program information was updated. Every time I tried to suggest a program change or present any kind of change for the improvement of informational delivery. I was ridiculed and made to feel unnecessary at this career opportunity.
Management all the way down from the Dean to the Program head wasn't interested in suggestions for program change.
The hardest part of the job was finding someone with an open mind that was interested in advancing a very stale program that the program Instructors like just the way it was, no new changes meant they could keep their little jobs without putting any effort out.
Their moto was the students would never know the difference just give them a passing mark and let them learn everything they need to know in the field.

NAIT was the first company whom I worked for which went out of their way to make you feel like part of the team. Becoming part of the NAIT culture was liberating. All until the time of staff reduction. When it was time to declare positions redundant, management did not look to keep the best instructors. NAIT did not consider the needs of their students when choosing staff to leave. Typically in trades, it is the younger instructors who relate better with their students, who take more time to update the delivery method, who put time into developing resources. Unfortunately, it was these instructors who were the first to go. Union or not, I believe it is a company's obligation to ensure the best people are in the best positions. I fully understand that it is much easier for management to layoff staff members based on years of service. However, if you plan on treating each employee as a number, don't tell them that they're hard work matters. Don't let them think that their hard work counts for anything. Here at NAIT, your date of hire is your job security.

As with most institutional environments the pace is generally laid back compared to the private sector. Generally speaking the only stress I experienced was the stress I decided to bring with me. 

The environment can be a complex web of protocol and procedure, especially when finances are involved, but with time one learns to wield this bureaucracy against itself for a common good. 

Departments can be a touched compartmentalised, but with extraordinary staff that often. 

The greatest benefit is free access to higher learning to be able to work and earn a degree in any number of fields. 

Awful bureaucratic culture within the CSSI department at NAIT. Work was pointless, scattered and poorly managed. Management lacks clear communication altogether, and loves to control your time through micro management. Most of my time was wasted as a research assistant, and was encouraged not to step out of line and ask to help others with their work. Pay was abysmal, as they often try to hire full engineers for a 'deal'. No benefits, no parking discounts and no public transportation incentives as a casual employee. Highly recommend any engineer to look elsewhere for employment. Hired for a 6 month position, resigned shortly after starting. Major changes needed to improve this department.

From the moment I started, I felt like part of a supportive and energetic team. The excitement of game days is unmatched, and being part of creating memorable experiences for fans and players is deeply rewarding.

The role is dynamic and keeps me engaged—whether it’s coordinating event logistics, ensuring smooth operations, or interacting with fans, there’s always something fulfilling to do. The teamwork and camaraderie among staff make every shift enjoyable, and the leadership team is fantastic at providing clear guidance while valuing our contributions.

What I love most is how the role combines my passion for sports with opportunities to develop new skills, like event management and problem-solving. It’s a perfect blend of fun, challenge, and growth, and I always leave work feeling accomplished and appreciated.

As Instructor at NAIT I came to find that dealing with students was not only beneficial for students to have a skilled instructor at their disposal but it was as equally beneficial for instructors to be able to teach and enjoy students and seeing the progress in their efforts. 

Nait is a very up to date Institution with cutting edge technology with every  program that they offer. The staff are all very professional and in tune with the students needs and very knowledgeable in their field. bringing practical experience to the classroom and applying the field with the classroom theory. 

Nait is a very good place to work. It has a very high standard for safety of staff and students.

One of the best moments of my career life was getting hired on with NAIT part-time while taking the Pre-Technology program to upgrade my science and math marks. My former boss, Andy, was, and still is, very open and sincere and was willing to give me a chance after seeing the passion I had for sports. The management team was always there when I needed them and wanted me to succeed. 

Since graduating from my upgrading program, I've gone back every year since, as I truly love the college atmosphere and the way the Athletics staff as treated me. I'd love to work full-time one day with NAIT in a more permanent position, but I'm happy to just have the chance to be apart of my school any way I can.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Instructor 4 salaries reported	$88,392 per year
Student researcher 2 salaries reported	$18.53 per hour
Research associate 4 salaries reported	$85,423 per year
Project manager 5 salaries reported	$92,426 per year
Program assistant 6 salaries reported	$3,795 per month

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