Educator Profile

 

 

 

Principal of Vocational Training at the New Brunswick Institute of Technology: 1946-1950 Supervisor, Coordinator and Director of Vocational Education for New Brunswick: 1951-1970 Member and later Chair of Board of Governors of New Brunswick Higher Education Commission: 1970-1974 Member of the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission: 1974-1980 Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the New Brunswick Community College: 1974-1980

W. B. Thompson was born in Aberdeen, SK and attended school there before receiving technical training at Saskatoon Technical College. He served as an instructor in the Educational Section of the RCAF during the Second World War. After the war he accepted a position as Principal of Vocational Training at the Technical Institute in Moncton and from 1`946 to 1950 he combined teaching and study, completing his BSc (Honours) in Industrial Education at Bradley University/

In 1951 he joined the staff of the provincial Department of Education where he held positions as Supervisor, Coordinator and then Director of Vocational Education. In 1970 he became a member (and subsequently chairman) of the Board of Governors of the New Brunswick Higher Education Commission. When this body was replaced in 1974 by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, he became a member of its Board of Governors and, in addition, accepted a position as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the New Brunswick Community College; a position he held until his retirement in September, 1980.

In 1975 St. Thomas University bestowed an honorary LLD on him in recognition of his many contributions to education in New Brunswick.

In 1982 Dr. Thompson headed a working committee sponsored by C.I.D.A. to visit China and to conduct a survey of several Chinese companies. As a result, a Management Training Centre was established in Chendu, China.