Nicola had, in the past, pursued land agent studies at Olds College which led to her career in the land access sector and her work in the oil and gas and utilities sectors. From there she went into middle school teaching and eventually was brought back to Olds College where her education and industry backgrounds combined making her a natural fit to instruct land access students and guide the program. Of her time in land access she says she learned to “just listen, hear them out, and then redirect our conversation in a kind way or respectful way” which are skills applicable to any situation.
Chad Hughes and Nicola Hollamby discuss in detail the types of qualities and the mindset that assist students in launching into a successful land career – communication, organization, and a continual hunger for learning. Nicola explains how the program has expanded and grown in its 39 years of existence and details the many transferable skills students gain from the program. She appreciates the open support the industry has shown for the program and offers great insight into all the many opportunities the program can offer to students of all ages.
“Are you displaying the kind of honesty you need to display? Because I find the students that are, I don’t know how to say this… The students that put on a persona and go out, they don’t last long. There has to be some genuineness there for them to last. And also that desire to be an ongoing learner, I don’t think in land you’re too effective if you aren’t always pursuing some new interest, some new knowledge, because things are changing.” – Nicola Hollamby
About Nicola Millions-Hollamby
Nicola Millions-Hollamby has been an instructor and coordinator at Olds College for the past sixteen years. Nicola holds a B.A., B.Ed., and a Land Agent Diploma from Olds College and is a Licensed Land Agent. She has led her program teams through comprehensive program reviews as well as major curriculum reform processes to create the previous curriculum in the land agent program and is currently developing the new surface land major within the Land and Water Resources Diploma program. She co-developed the former online Land Analyst Certificate program that now resides with SAIT. Currently, she teaches Ecology in the LWR program and is a leader in the development of the Indigenous strategy at Olds College and Indigenous student support. Prior to joining the College, Nicola worked as a middle years educator and as a surface land agent in the oil and gas and utilities sectors. Nicola resides in the Olds area and is involved in numerous community sports and activities with her children.
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Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website | linkedin
Nicola Millions-Hollamby B.A, B.Ed. | Instructor & Coordinator, Old College: website | linkedin
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