Winnipeg's CDI College investigated, enrolment halted

Nicole Verrault had hoped to become an addictions and community service worker in Winnipeg.

But the private school she had enrolled in, CDI College, wasn't what she thought it would be.

"Our textbooks were always a week or two weeks late," the former CDI studentsaid.

"So we didn't really have our books to study."

Verrault said in the five months she was there, it was difficult to keep up because her intructors changed at least three times.

"Colleges should have set teachers from when the course starts to when it ends," she said. "Not scattered."

CDI College in Winnipeg is under investigation after several students in its licensed practical nursing program complained to Manitoba's LPN regulatory body.

It comes on the heels ofproblems at CDI College in Edmonton that has closed enrolment, with some former students taking the college to court.

Christy Froese, president of the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba (CLPNM), said some of the complaints heard from Winnipeg students were similar.

"They had issues with instructors not (being) at classes when they were supposed to be there," she said.

"Timetables were not what they were supposed to be."

Froese said representatives of the CLPNM visited CDI College in March.

She said students were interviewed and some were re-tested.

"Most definitely we are concerned, which is why we immediatelydid the site visit," she said.

"We are monitoring things very, very closely right now."

A spokesperson for Manitoba Health minister Theresa Oswald confirmed CDI is being investigated.

She said fall enrolment for 2013 and winter intake in January 2014 is halted.

Dean Tremain, spokesperson for CDI College, said the school is addressing the students concerns.

"The complaints seem to stem around simply the lack of resources," he said.

"We've been working on replacing those resources and spent the last few weeks doing that."

The CLPNM is expected to finalize its investigation and deliver its recommendations in June.