LINKS founder sells majority stake to Alta. company
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LINKS Institute founder John Jackson has sold the majority of the Brandon-based career college’s shareholdings to an Alberta corporation.
Jackson said the purchase price of the online private vocational institute fell within the six-figure range.
“The sale of LINKS Institute came down to a decision between priorities and opportunities,” he told the Sun. “It’s been such a great experience running a career college in Manitoba, but it’s time to move on.”
John Jackson, the former owner of LINKS Institute on Princess Avenue, stands with Shahid Hussain, who will become the new operations manager for the business, which will be under new ownership by the end of September. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun)
The Alberta-based buyer, K & H Education Services Inc., is expected to maintain the existing programs while seeking opportunities to grow the brand, particularly in Winnipeg, he said. LINKS Institute’s continuous intake model — which admits students every six weeks — and its standardized curriculum will remain in place.
“My touch would be difficult to remove, even if someone wanted to,” Jackson said. “I’m really excited to see how the new owners continue to grow the brand and add new programs over time.”
Founded in March 2021, LINKS Institute was created to fill gaps Jackson saw in Manitoba’s social services workforce. Having previously served as executive director of Samaritan House Ministries, he noticed that many front-line positions in food banks, shelters and addiction programs were filled by people with passion but little formal training. LINKS set out to change that with short, accessible programs in social services, mental health and addiction support.
“The original plan was to help resolve some labour market issues,” he said. “We wanted to give people credentials that would open doors and improve outcomes for the communities they serve.”
Over the past four years, LINKS has graduated between 50 and 60 students. While the number fell short of Jackson’s hopes, he pointed to government funding changes and shifting labour market conditions as key challenges for smaller private colleges. Still, graduates have gone on to find meaningful work in non-profit organizations and, increasingly, in First Nations communities developing their own social service programs.
The transition also marks the exit of local entrepreneur Tami Rourke, a former Netset Communications executive who became an investor and played a key role in guiding the institute’s early success.
For Jackson, the sale represents both closure and a new beginning. He is stepping into a senior business development role with Axiom Holographics, an Australian-based technology company best known for its hologram zoo attractions.
Jackson will continue to support the new owners during their transition, including with “regulatory applications through Manitoba’s private vocational institutions branch.”
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