Education - Colleges and Institutes Canada

An
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INFORMATION feature
FEATURE
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Special
Education
Canadian colleges
Responding to a demographic and advanced skills crisis
nn an
an environment
environment in
in
which
which more
more than
than 70
70 per
per
cent
cent of
of new
new jobs
jobs require
require aa
post-secondary
post-secondary credential
credential and
and 42
42
per
per cent
cent of
of working-age
working-age CanadiCanadians
ans lack
lack the
the skills
skills they
they need
need for
for
gainful
gainful employment,
employment, Canada’s
Canada’s
colleges
colleges are
are playing
playing an
an increasincreasingly
ingly essential
essential economic
economic role.
role.
“Our
“Our focus
focus is
is on
on providing
providing the
the
highest
highest quality
quality career-related
career-related and
and
professional
professional education
education possible,”
possible,”
says
says Seneca
Seneca College
College president
president
David
David Agnew.
Agnew. These
These efforts
efforts are
are
not
not limited
limited to
to the
the programs
programs that
that
colleges
colleges provide,
provide, he
he notes,
notes, but
but
encompass
encompass pathways
pathways to
to further
further
education
education available
available through
through
transfer
transfer agreements
agreements with
with univeruniversities
sities in
in Canada
Canada and
and around
around the
the
world.
world.
“Quickly
“Quickly evolving
evolving technology
technology
and
and the
the demand
demand for
for new
new skills
skills
drives
drives the
the kinds
kinds of
of programs
programs and
and
credentials
credentials we
we offer,”
offer,” he
he says,
says,
adding
adding that
that colleges
colleges face
face aa “huge
“huge
uplift”
uplift” in
in the
the need
need for
for credentials.
credentials.
“If
“If aa two-year
two-year diploma
diploma was
was once
once
required,
required, itit may
may now
now be
be aa threethreeyear
year diploma.
diploma. IfIf itit was
was three-year
three-year
diploma,
diploma, it’s
it’s now
now aa degree.”
degree.”
The
The demand
demand for
for relevant,
relevant, jobjobready
ready skills
skills training
training is
is reflected
reflected
in
in the
the fact
fact that
that more
more than
than 40
40 per
per
cent
cent of
of Seneca’s
Seneca’s students
students arrive
arrive
equipped
equipped with
with aa post-secondary
post-secondary
credential
credential or
or experience,
experience, and
and
more
more than
than half
half of
of those
those come
come
from
from university
university programs.
programs.
One
One key
key to
to responding
responding to
to the
the
increasing
increasing demand
demand for
for skills
skills is
is aa
robust
robust connection
connection to
to industry,
industry,
which
which ensures
ensures that
that graduates
graduates
are
are immediately
immediately employable.
employable. For
For
example,
example, says
says Mr.
Mr. Agnew,
Agnew, “Our
“Our
international
international accounting
accounting and
and fifinance
nance bachelor
bachelor of
of commerce
commerce was
was
the
the first
first Ontario
Ontario college
college program
program
to
to be
be accredited
accredited by
by the
the Certified
Certified
General
General Accountants
Accountants of
of Ontario.
Ontario.
In
In our
our aviation
aviation program,
program, at
at the
the
end
end of
of four
four years,
years, students
students are
are
hired
hired directly
directly by
by the
the airlines
airlines as
as
commercial
commercial pilots.”
pilots.”
At
At Bow
Bow Valley
Valley College(BVC)
College(BVC)
in
in Alberta,
Alberta, input
input from
from business
business
and
and industry
industry advisory
advisory groups
groups
helps
helps ensure
ensure that
that graduates
graduates are
are
equipped
equipped with
with the
the technical
technical skills
skills
they
they need,
need, and
and enables
enables the
the dedevelopment
velopment of
of learning
learning programs
programs
that
that strengthen
strengthen essential
essential skills
skills in
in
the
the workplace
workplace and
and beyond.
beyond.
“We
“We see
see ourselves
ourselves as
as having
having aa
life-long
life-long relationship
relationship with
with our
our
learners;
learners; when
when they
they come
come to
to us
us
for
for fullfull- or
or part-time
part-time training,
training,
when
when they’re
they’re out
out in
in the
the workworkforce
force and
and need
need cross-skilling
cross-skilling
or
or up-skilling
up-skilling –– even
even for
for leisure
leisure
education,”
education,” says
says Anna
Anna Kae
Kae Todd,
Todd,
vice-president
vice-president of
of learning.
learning.
For
For example,
example, the
the BVC
BVC Test
Test of
of
Workplace
Workplace Essential
Essential Skills
Skills unit
unit
helps
helps employers
employers evaluate
evaluate and
and
improve
improve their
their employees’
employees’ skills
skills
in
in literacy,
literacy, numeracy
numeracy and
and docudocument
ment use.
use. “We
“We have
have aa whole
whole suite
suite
about
ABOUT ACCC
ACCC
The
The Association
Association of
of Canadian
Canadian
Community
Community Colleges
Colleges (ACCC)
(ACCC)
is
is the
the national
national voice
voice for
for 150
150
publicly
publicly funded
funded colleges
colleges and
and
institutes
institutes with
with campuses
campuses in
in
1,000
1,000 communities,
communities, serving
serving
1,500,000
1,500,000 fullfull- and
and part-time
part-time
learners.
learners. Ninety
Ninety per
per cent
cent of
of
their
their students
students are
are employed
employed
within
within six
six months
months of
of gradugraduation.
ation. Their
Their third
third showcase,
showcase,
Increasing
Increasing Productivity
Productivity
Through
Through Incremental
Incremental InnovaInnovation
tion -- Colleges,
Colleges, Institutes
Institutes and
and
Polytechnics:
Polytechnics: Applied
Applied Research
Research
for
for Economic
Economic and
and Social
Social DevelDevelopment,
opment, is
is available
available at
at accc.ca.
accc.ca.
of
of products
products based
based on
on rigorous,
rigorous,
standardized
standardized assessment,
assessment, as
as well
well
as
as accompanying
accompanying products
products that
that
offer
offer training
training and
and interventions
interventions
in
in the
the workplace,”
workplace,” says
says Ms.
Ms. Todd.
Todd.
The
The college
college helps
helps students
students with
with
typical
typical deficiencies
deficiencies in
in interpretinterpreting
ing graphs
graphs and
and diagrams
diagrams develop
develop
those
those skills
skills “with
“with examples
examples of
of
workplace
workplace documents
documents that
that the
the
learners
learners can
can relate
relate to,”
to,” she
she says.
says.
“We
“We see
see significant
significant gains
gains in
in their
their
confidence
confidence and
and ability
ability to
to interinterpret
pret and
and apply.”
apply.”
Colleges
Colleges also
also play
play an
an important
important
role
role in
in strengthening
strengthening Canada’s
Canada’s
relations
relations with
with other
other countries,
countries,
notes
notes James
James Knight,
Knight, president
president
and
and CEO
CEO of
of the
the Association
Association of
of
Canadian
Canadian Community
Community Colleges.
Colleges.
“A
“A higher
higher proportion
proportion of
of Canada’s
Canada’s
GDP
GDP derives
derives from
from trade
trade than
than that
that
of
of any
any other
other country,
country, so
so employemployers
ers value
value international
international experiexperiences,”
ences,” he
he says.
says.
Studying
Studying alongside
alongside internainternational
tional students
students gives
gives Canadians
Canadians
an
an opportunity
opportunity to
to engage
engage with
with
people
people from
from other
other cultures,
cultures,
enriching
enriching their
their educational
educational expeexperiences
riences and
and opening
opening their
their minds
minds
to
to the
the world
world beyond
beyond our
our borders.
borders.
In
In addition,
addition, colleges
colleges are
are workworking
ing to
to build
build links
links with
with similar
similar
institutions
institutions in
in other
other countries.
countries.
Montreal’s
Montreal’s Cégep
Cégep Marie-Victorin,
Marie-Victorin,
which
which specializes
specializes in
in fashion,
fashion, has
has
aa relationship
relationship with
with aa college
college in
in
Brazil
Brazil with
with aa fashion
fashion program,
program,
benefiting
benefiting students
students in
in both
both
countries.
countries.
Institutions
Institutions are
are also
also offering
offering
programs
programs abroad.
abroad. “This
“This would
would
be
be particularly
particularly important
important for
for
“A
“A higher
higher proportion
proportion
of
of Canada’s
Canada’s GDP
GDP
derives
derives from
from trade
trade
than
than that
that of
of any
any other
other
country,
country, so
so employers
employers
value
value international
international
experiences.”
experiences.”
James
James Knight,
Knight,
President
President and
and CEO,
CEO,
Association
Association of
of Canadian
Canadian
Community
Community Colleges
Colleges
Canada
Canada ifif these
these students
students immiimmigrated
grated here,
here, as
as they
they would
would arrive
arrive
with
with Canadian
Canadian credentials,”
credentials,” says
says
Mr.
Mr. Knight.
Knight.
With
With experts
experts anticipating
anticipating aa
shortfall
shortfall of
of as
as many
many as
as 1.5
1.5 million
million
skilled
skilled employees,
employees, all
all of
of these
these
efforts
efforts are
are critical,
critical, he
he notes.
notes.
“Canada’s
“Canada’s principal
principal challenge
challenge on
on
the
the social
social and
and economic
economic side
side is
is
demographic:
demographic: we
we are
are aa rapidly
rapidly
aging
aging population.”
population.”
Immigration
Immigration is
is part
part of
of the
the
solution,
solution, but
but itit is
is unlikely
unlikely to
to
address
address more
more than
than 20
20 per
per cent
cent
of
of the
the need,
need, he
he explains.
explains. “That
“That
means
means we
we must
must increase
increase our
our
success
success in
in attracting
attracting and
and graduatgraduating
ing population
population groups
groups that
that have
have
typically
typically been
been marginalized
marginalized in
in
post-secondary
post-secondary education.
education. We
We are
are
committed
committed to
to engaging
engaging the
the larglargest
est possible
possible number
number of
of potential
potential
learners.”
learners.”
Recent
Recent improvements
improvements in
in
graduation
graduation rates
rates among
among AborigiAboriginal
nal learners
learners illustrate
illustrate that
that “some
“some
of
of our
our institutions
institutions are
are doing
doing this
this
with
with tremendous
tremendous success,”
success,” says
says
Mr.
Mr. Knight.
Knight. “But
“But as
as aa country,
country, we
we
have
have to
to do
do this
this on
on aa much
much larger
larger
scale.
scale. IfIf we
we fail,
fail, Canada’s
Canada’s standard
standard
of
of living
living will
will fall
fall considerably.”
considerably.”
INSIDE
INSIDE
International
International Development.
Development. Canada’s
Canada’s colleges
colleges provide
provide Canadian
Canadian
students
students with
with international
international experiences
experiences and
and international
international students
students with
with
first-rate
first-rate education
education opportunities.
opportunities. Page
Page 22
Innovation.
Innovation. Commentary
Commentary by
by James
James Knight,
Knight, President
President and
and CEO,
CEO,
Association
Association of
of Canadian
Canadian Community
Community Colleges
Colleges (ACCC).
(ACCC). Page
Page 33
online?
ONLINE?
For
For more
more information,
information, visit
visit
accc.ca.
accc.ca.
eLearning.
eLearning. Meeting
Meeting the
the global
global demand
demand for
for lifelong
lifelong skills
skills development
development
and
and education.
education. Page
Page 77
Colleges and Institutes:
Increasing Productivity through Innovation
Last
Last year,
year, colleges
colleges partnered
partnered with
with 4,444
4,444 Canadian
Canadian businesses
businesses
to
to improve
improve productivity
productivity and
and create
create jobs.
jobs.
With
With highly
highly trained
trained faculty,
faculty, leading-edge
leading-edge equipment
equipment and
and talented
talented student
student researchers
researchers
in
1,000
campuses,
colleges
are
powerful
catalysts
for
business
in 1,000 campuses, colleges are powerful catalysts for business innovation.
innovation.
As
As innovation
innovation leaders,
leaders, college
college graduates
graduates get
get the
the jobs
jobs
that
that keep
keep Canada
Canada growing.
growing.
ACCC
Association
Association of
of Canadian
Canadian Community
Community Colleges
Colleges
2 • AN
An INFORMATION
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CANADIAN
Canadian COLLEGES
Colleges
GLOBAL
global EDUCATION
education
Colleges support international development
anadian colleges and
institutes are increasingly joining forces with
international educational institutions and governments to bolster
policy, curriculum, teaching and
advanced skills in poverty-stricken countries. The ultimate goal?
To get people working.
Paul Brennan, vice-president
of International Partnerships
with the Association of Canadian
Community Colleges (ACCC),
recently returned from Nigeria.
An astonishing 70 per cent of
university graduates there are
unemployed, and 50 million
young people don’t have access
to employable skills development.
Mr. Brennan is hoping that
ACCC and some Canadian colleges can work together with
Nigeria’s government, private
sector and educational institutions to change that. “They need
to move from supply-driven to
demand-driven education and
training, preparing youth for
self-employment and the jobs of
tomorrow,” he says.
Twenty years ago, through
funding from the Canadian International Development Agency
(CIDA), ACCC linked Canadian
colleges with colleges in China
and India. If the economies in
those countries today are any
indication, perhaps Nigeria will
see better days.
Currently, through the CIDAfinanced
financed Education for Employment (EFE) initiative at ACCC,
Canadian colleges are working
to create necessary job skills in
Africa, the Caribbean and the
Andean Region.
“We work with countries and
institutions that really want to
change,” says Mr. Brennan. “They
identify two or three sectors of
their economy that are growing and the local institutions
interested in doing the job-skills
training. They then choose from
a list of Canadian colleges that
can support the development of
new curriculum and services.”
Ten years ago, also with CIDA
support, ACCC helped Vietnam
open its first
first college. Today, the
country has 44 colleges and has
asked ACCC to help open Canadian colleges there as well.
CIDA provides about
$140 million annually toward the
development of international vocational training. And, as of 2009,
the Minister of International Cooperation announced the Skills
for Employment initiative, which
brought another $95 million to
the table.
James Knight, president and
CEO of ACCC, says there are two
Teresina, Brazil - Mulheres Mil participants proudly display a dress they made as part of a fashion project. PHOTO:
photo: SUPPLIED
supplied
“We work with countries
and institutions that
really want to change.
They identify two or
three sectors of their
economy that are
growing and the local
institutions interested
in doing the job-skills
training. They then
choose from a list of
Canadian colleges
that can support the
development of new
curriculum and services.”
Paul Brennan,
Vice-president of International
Partnerships, Association of
Canadian Community Colleges
(ACCC)
powerful motivators for such
initiatives. “First, Canada is the
most trade-dependent country
in the world, and our employers
value students with international
experiences. Second, CIDA supports Canadian institutions in
their individual strength areas
and connects them to other
countries that need those skills to
improve employment rates and
the economy.”
In one example of this work,
ACCC, several Canadian colleges,
13 Brazilian federal institutes
and the Brazilian Ministry of
Education launched the threeyear, CIDA-funded “Mulheres
Mil” (“Empower 1,000 Women”)
project, which has now become
the national Empower 100,000
Women Brazilian initiative.
With the support of Canadian
colleges, Brazilian institutes
provided education to women
who had a Grade 4 or 5 education, a history of low self-esteem
and low-wage jobs, poor literacy
levels and possible learning dis-
abilities, who were living in poverty without access to childcare,
transportation or family support.
“This project yielded amazing
results,” says Mr. Knight. “These
women’s economic circumstances, families and communities
were transformed.”
A current EFE project, involving 38 Canadian colleges and
institutes, is focused on building
institutional capacity at postsecondary institutes in Tanzania,
Senegal and Mozambique in the
areas of agriculture, mining, tourism and hotel services, shipping
and construction.
The Fisheries and Marine
Institute of Memorial University
in Newfoundland is one of the
Canadian institutions involved. It
was also heavily involved in the
Vietnam project.
“We’ve had 140 of our employees work internationally at the
development level of college
systems. We also have a student
mobility program,” says Glenn
Blackwood, vice-president
Memorial University (Marine Institute). “When they come back,
they are very different people.”
INTERNATIONAL
international DEVELOPMENT
development LEADERS
leaders
Many Association of Canadian Community College members are
partnering internationally to address the skills gap at home and
abroad.
Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)
NSCC engages both employees and students in several innovative educational partnership projects involving the international
community.
“Projects such as the ACCC Education for Employment
program in Mozambique and Tanzania; the Uniterra Leave for
Change program in Ghana and Vietnam, and the CARICOM exchange program in the Caribbean region not only build capacity
in developing countries, but provide incredible opportunities
for our own students to gain valuable international experience
and a broader professional and personal understanding of the
interconnectedness of global communities and development
issues,” says Katie Orr, director, NSCC International. “This is an
important part of our mission as a community college.”
Cégep Marie-Victorin
“International development is in our DNA,” says Nicole Rouillier, director of Cégep Marie-Victorin in Montreal. “Every program
that we offer has an international component to it. It is our responsibility to our students to provide this opportunity to open
themselves to other cultures and other realities.”
For 45 lucky science students each year, that opportunity
means climbing aboard a sailboat and sailing around the world
for a year, challenging themselves while continuing their program studies during the trip, “so they don’t miss a year,” adds
Ms. Rouillier. “Our openness to the world is part of our values –
and who we are.”
New Brunswick Community College (NBCC)
NBCC offers more than 80 programs at six campuses across New
Brunswick. Now the college is working toward the development
and implementation of an international education strategy that
will solidify its international roots.
Mary Butler, vice president, college and community development, says that NBCC “has a very proud and accomplished
history in international education, and has partnered with various organizations and countries around the world. The strategy
seeks to advance international student recruitment efforts, foster existing international relationships and cultivate new ones.”
NBCC is an attractive choice to international students, Ms.
Butler says. “We offer affordable, quality post-secondary education and training. This year alone, NBCC is home to students
from more than 24 countries.”
Langara College
Langara College in Vancouver, B.C., embraces its role as an
integral member of the global community within – and beyond
– the structures of academia.
Langara offers programs that allow Canadian students to
transfer and complete degrees in England and Australia, as well
as many courses that include international experience. Partnerships with nursing institutions in India further expand global
possibilities for students. The college also welcomes more than
1,200 international students each year.
“We are looking toward becoming more globally minded
in education, with programs offering extra- and co-curricular
activities through which students can volunteer in international
communities,” says Ian Humphreys, acting associate vice-president of student development and marketing. “Students need
more than they receive in the classroom to be successful citizens
of the world.”
AN information
INFORMATION feature
FEATURE •• 3
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CANADIAN Colleges
COLLEGES
Canadian
OPINION
opinion
Innovation, demographics and skills: The big picture
“Seventy per cent of
new jobs now require
the advanced skills
associated with postBy James
James Knight,
Knight,
By
secondary education.
President and
and CEO,
CEO, Association
Association
President
of Canadian
Canadian Community
Community Colleges
Colleges As a result, many
of
sectors are already
(ACCC)
(ACCC)
unable to fill open
positions, despite
n aa country
country built
built on
on aa
n
foundation
of
small
and
rising unemployment.”
foundation of small and
medium enterprises
enterprises
medium
(SMEs), closing
closing Canada’s
Canada’s producproduc(SMEs),
tivity gap
gap with
with our
our neighbour
neighbour to
to
tivity
the south
south depends
depends on
on our
our ability
ability
the
to help
help SMEs
SMEs develop
develop and
and test
test
to
new products,
products, adopt
adopt innovative
innovative
new
processes and
and adapt
adapt technologies
technologies
processes
for competitive
competitive advantage.
advantage. StimuStimufor
lating innovation
innovation in
in Canada’s
Canada’s SME
SME
lating
sector will
will do
do much
much to
to improve
improve
sector
productivity and
and create
create jobs.
jobs.
productivity
Canada’s colleges,
colleges, institutes,
institutes,
Canada’s
cégeps and
and polytechnics
polytechnics are
are
cégeps
integrated with
with the
the industrial
industrial and
and
integrated
technical drivers
drivers of
of the
the economy.
economy.
technical
They produce
produce the
the graduates
graduates with
with
They
the advanced
advanced skills
skills required
required by
by
the
SMEs and
and are
are catalysts
catalysts of
of innovainnovaSMEs
tion. Through
Through applied
applied research
research
tion.
partnerships, colleges
colleges and
and instiinstipartnerships,
tutes help
help SMEs
SMEs develop
develop and
and grow
grow
tutes
by focusing
focusing on
on improvements
improvements to
to
by
existing technologies,
technologies, processes,
processes,
existing
products and
and services
services to
to enhance
enhance
products
competitiveness.
competitiveness.
The Government
Government of
of Canada
Canada
The
has made
made important
important investments
investments
has
in college-SME
college-SME applied
applied research
research
in
partnerships. For
For example,
example,
partnerships.
Budget 2011-2012
2011-2012 committed
committed to
to 30
30
Budget
new Industrial
Industrial Research
Research Chairs
Chairs at
at
new
colleges and
and institutes.
institutes.
colleges
ACCC published
published its
its third
third showshowACCC
case of
of applied
applied research
research innovainnovacase
tions this
this month.
month. It
It demonstrates
demonstrates
tions
the extensive
extensive reach
reach and
and impact
impact of
of
the
college partnerships
partnerships with
with indusinduscollege
try and
and community
community collaborators
collaborators
try
across key
key economic
economic sectors.
sectors.
across
Innovation is
is happening
happening in
in busibusiInnovation
nesses and
and communities
communities across
across
nesses
the country!
country!
the
At the
the same
same time,
time, aa looming
looming
At
advanced skills
skills shortage
shortage stands
stands
advanced
to do
do much
much harm
harm unless
unless aggresaggresto
sive mitigating
mitigating measures
measures are
are adadsive
opted soon.
soon. The
The twin
twin pressures
pressures of
of
opted
our demographic
demographic deficit
deficit and
and the
the
our
tion. We
We cannot
cannot afford
afford to
to leave
leave
tion.
so many
many disabled
disabled persons
persons on
on
so
the sidelines.
sidelines. We
We cannot
cannot stand
stand
the
silently by
by and
and watch
watch as
as high
high
silently
school graduation
graduation rates
rates decline
decline
school
in many
many jurisdictions.
jurisdictions. These
These are
are
in
big problems,
problems, and
and solutions
solutions will
will
big
not come
come easily.
easily.
not
To get
get started,
started, aa national
national
To
dialogue among
among governments,
governments,
dialogue
educators and
and civil
civil society
society ororeducators
ganizations is
is an
an essential
essential point
point
ganizations
of departure.
departure. We
We must
must set
set some
some
of
targets, for
for example,
example, commit
commit
targets,
to raising
raising Aboriginal
Aboriginal education
education
to
achievement to
to the
the national
national avavachievement
erage, or
or to
to doubling
doubling the
the employemployerage,
ment rates
rates of
of disabled
disabled persons.
persons.
ment
Without clear
clear goals,
goals, we
we will
will have
have
Without
no way
way to
to measure
measure success.
success. CanCanno
ada’s colleges
colleges and
and institutes,
institutes, with
with
ada’s
their commitment
commitment to
to access
access and
and
their
life-long learning,
learning, are
are uniquely
uniquely
life-long
positioned to
to contribute.
contribute.
positioned
Canada is
is not
not alone
alone in
in facing
facing
Canada
these challenges.
challenges. We
We have
have much
much
these
to learn
learn from
from countries
countries across
across the
the
to
globe. On
On May
May 26,
26, the
the World
World FedFedglobe.
eration of
of Colleges
Colleges and
and PolytechPolytecheration
nics will
will hold
hold its
its World
World Congress
Congress
nics
2012 in
in Halifax,
Halifax, hosted
hosted by
by Nova
Nova
2012
Scotia Community
Community College
College and
and
Scotia
ACCC. One
One thousand
thousand leaders
leaders in
in
ACCC.
education, business
business and
and governgoverneducation,
ment will
will share
share good
good practices
practices
ment
and new
new approaches.
approaches. The
The World
World
and
Congress will
will help
help focus
focus Canada’s
Canada’s
Congress
energies on
on issues
issues we
we cannot
cannot afafenergies
ford to
to ignore.
ignore.
ford
INNOVATION snapshots
SNAPSHOTS
Innovation
College research yields affordable compost solution
Composting is
is aa popular
popular waste
waste
Composting
management tool
tool for
for commucommumanagement
nities. But
But plastics
plastics and
and other
other
nities.
contaminants in
in compost
compost preprecontaminants
vent waste
waste from
from decomposing
decomposing
vent
properly and
and must
must be
be removed.
removed.
properly
Yukon College
College is
is working
working
Yukon
with aa local
local company,
company, BoBowith
real Compost
Compost Enterprises,
Enterprises, on
on aa
real
system that
that removes
removes aa high
high percentage
percentage of
of plastic
plastic
system
contaminants. This
This system
system has
has been
been tested
tested with
with
contaminants.
great success.
success.
great
The goal
goal is
is to
to build
build aa system
system that
that is
is affordable
affordable
The
for smaller
smaller jurisdictions
jurisdictions and
and
for
technically simple
simple to
to operate,
operate,
technically
requiring minimal
minimal training
training and
and
requiring
maintenance.
maintenance.
“The Plastovac
Plastovac works
works betbet“The
ter than
than any
any plastic
plastic separation
separation
ter
machine II have
have seen
seen or
or used
used in
in the
the
machine
market,” says
says Dave
Dave Laing,
Laing, Fisher
Fisher
market,”
Road Recycling.
Recycling. “Its
“Its simple
simple design
design
Road
means it
it can
can cope
cope with
with aa heavy
heavy plastic
plastic loading
loading in
in
means
the compost
compost without
without plugging,
plugging, even
even under
under difficult
difficult
the
operating conditions,
conditions, unlike
unlike the
the machine
machine II own,
own,
operating
which is
is the
the North
North American
American market
market leader.”
leader.”
which
Wireless technology to thwart the spread of superbugs
increasing technological
technological sophissophisincreasing
tication of
of the
the workplace
workplace mean
mean
tication
that in
in 10
10 years,
years, employers
employers will
will
that
not be
be able
able to
to identify
identify qualified
qualified
not
candidates for
for 1,500,000
1,500,000 availavailcandidates
able jobs,
jobs, even
even with
with immigration.
immigration.
able
Seventy per
per cent
cent of
of new
new jobs
jobs
Seventy
now require
require the
the advanced
advanced skills
skills
now
associated with
with post-secondary
post-secondary
associated
education. As
As aa result,
result, many
many
education.
sectors are
are already
already unable
unable to
to fill
fill
sectors
open positions,
positions, despite
despite rising
rising
open
unemployment.
unemployment.
Immigration will
will make
make aa differdifferImmigration
ence, but
but only
only aa small
small difference.
difference.
ence,
The single
single approach
approach that
that will
will
The
make aa big
big difference
difference is
is to
to ensure
ensure
make
that aa much
much higher
higher proportion
proportion
that
of Canadians
Canadians have
have the
the skills
skills that
that
of
will allow
allow them
them to
to contribute
contribute to
to
will
and benefit
benefit from
from our
our employemployand
ment market.
market. We
We can
can no
no longer
longer
ment
afford to
to under-educate
under-educate our
our
afford
burgeoning Aboriginal
Aboriginal populapopulaburgeoning
Using the
the Real-Time
Real-Time Locating
Locating System
System (RTLS),
(RTLS),
Using
Infonaut’s Hospital
Hospital Watch
Watch Live
Live software
software will
will track
track
Infonaut’s
infections as
as they
they travel
travel between
between people
people and
and obobinfections
jects, allowing
allowing hospitals
hospitals to
to react
react in
in real
real time
time to
to halt
halt
jects,
hospital-acquired infections
infections before
before they
they spread.
spread.
hospital-acquired
Applying RTLS
RTLS to
to infection
infection control
control is
is aa new
new
Applying
use for
for the
the hardware.
hardware. Infonaut
Infonaut turned
turned to
to George
George
use
Brown College.
College. The
The IT
IT student
student team
team and
and Infonaut
Infonaut
Brown
set up
up the
the RTLS
RTLS in
in the
the Simulated
Simulated Practice
Practice Centre
Centre
set
of the
the George
George Brown
Brown Nursing
Nursing School
School to
to test
test the
the
of
system in
in aa hospital
hospital environment.
environment.
system
To ‘see’
‘see’ the
the movement
movement of
of infection
infection requires
requires
To
highly sensitive
sensitive locating
locating system
system that
that can
can folfolaa highly
low nurses
nurses running
running down
down aa hall
hall or
or just
just moving
moving
low
between beds.
beds. Students
Students engaged
engaged in
in the
the painstakpainstakbetween
ing task
task of
of placing
placing and
and positioning
positioning receivers
receivers to
to
ing
measure the
the accuracy
accuracy of
of the
the signal
signal and
and identify
identify
measure
interferences.
interferences.
A mobile prototype to extract cedar oil
Through aa partnership
partnership involving
involving forestry
forestry comcomThrough
pany Niska
Niska North,
North, the
the northern
northern Ontario
Ontario town
town of
of
pany
Chapleau and
and Collège
Collège Boréal,
Boréal, aa Collège
Collège BoréalBoréalChapleau
initiated project
project is
is bringing
bringing hope
hope for
for the
the economy
economy
initiated
of the
the single-industry
single-industry region.
region. Keen
Keen on
on stimulatstimulatof
ing job
job creation
creation in
in the
the area,
area, aa student
student at
at Collège
Collège
ing
Boréal designed
designed and
and built
built aa prototype
prototype to
to allow
allow the
the
Boréal
commercial-scale extraction
extraction of
of essential
essential oils
oils from
from
commercial-scale
the white-cedar
white-cedar residues
residues of
of log-cutting
log-cutting operations.
operations.
the
The project
project ultimately
ultimately attracted
attracted the
the interest
interest of
of
The
other students,
students, resulting
resulting in
in two
two similar
similar initiatives
initiatives
other
with Niska
Niska North,
North, the
the extraction
extraction of
of birch
birch syrup
syrup
with
and the
the extraction
extraction and
and purification
purification of
of both
both betubetuand
lin and
and betulinic
betulinic acid
acid in
in chaga
chaga (birch
(birch mushroom).
mushroom).
lin
“Making full
full use
use of
of all
all the
the resources
resources involved
involved
“Making
in the
the forestry
forestry industry
industry is
is aa rational
rational way
way to
to
in
reinvigorate the
the economy
economy of
of municipalities
municipalities that
that
reinvigorate
depend on
on this
this sector.
sector. …[Combining]
…[Combining] Collège
Collège
depend
Boréal’s expertise
expertise in
in applied
applied research
research with
with Niska
Niska
Boréal’s
North’s know-how
know-how in
in logging
logging has
has the
the potential
potential to
to
North’s
strengthen economic
economic activity
activity in
in our
our region,”
region,” says
says
strengthen
André Byham,
Byham, mayor
mayor of
of Chapleau.
Chapleau.
André
This report
report was
was produced
produced by
by RandallAnthony
RandallAnthony Communications
Communications Inc.
Inc. (www.randallanthony.com)
(www.randallanthony.com) in
in conjunction
conjunction with
with the
the advertising
advertising department
department of
of The
The Globe
Globe and
and Mail.
Mail. Richard
Richard Deacon,
Deacon, National
National Business
Business Development
Development Manager,
Manager, [email protected].
[email protected].
This
APPLIED LEARNING
AT FLEMING:
All of our programs are designed to give
you the best possible real-world, realwork experiences. Discover what it’s like
to work in your chosen career area while
acquiring the specific skills needed to get
hired. You’ll also have a chance to learn
about world issues, your community and
a lot about yourself.
Depending on your program, you’ll have many
unique and extensive applied learning options:
Four-Month Work Placements
Internships
■ Wilderness Field Camps
■ Lab Work or Clinical Experience
■ Paid Co-op Employment
■ International Travel, Exchanges & Research
■ Semester-Long Projects for Industry Partners
■
■
Work-Ready Graduates
Applied Research & Innovation
Going Global Ecosystem Management
students take part in international field
placements in Costa Rica and South Africa
where they conduct research, monitor and
restore habitat. Program faculty Josh Feltham
notes, “they return confident in their abilities,
inspired to make a difference and engaged in
a culture of positive environmental change.”
photo: Clarissa Jewell
For details on our applied learning
opportunities contact:
Brooke Lynch
[email protected]
1-866-353-6464 ext. 3301
Immigrant Advancement
Workforce Training
Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES)
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flemingcollege.ca
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Canadian COLLEGES
Colleges
CANADIAN
Saskatchewan INSTITUTE
Institute OF
of APPLIED
Applied SCIENCE
Science AND
and TECHNOLOGY
Technology
SASKATCHEWAN
Serving Saskatchewan’s fastest-growing student population
s Saskatchewan’s
Aboriginal population
and economy grow, the
fill
province is well positioned to fill
the demographic gaps left by its
retiring baby boomers. Whether
this becomes a reality or not,
however, may depend on access
to education.
“We need to make adjustments
so that today’s huge numbers
of school-aged Aboriginal kids
will have the educational and
employment opportunities
necessary for them to take their
place in the economic boom that
is happening here,” says Myrna
Yuzicapi, special advisor on
Aboriginal initiatives to the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied
Science and Technology (SIAST).
SIAST has reviewed its practices and created a five-year
five-year
Aboriginal Student Achievement
Plan, with initiatives aimed at
enhancing Aboriginal student
success.
“Close to 20 per cent of our
students are Aboriginal, the highest enrolment in the province,”
says Ms. Yuzicapi. “If they are
choosing us, the message is that
they trust us to serve them well.
We need to respect that trust, and
make the adjustments in our services and support that will allow
them to be successful.”
SIAST has hired six Aboriginal student advisers to connect
Aboriginal students with the
services they need.
As well, in an effort to stop
the loss of Aboriginal students
between their initial application
and the first
first day of school, SIAST
now reaches out to help them
navigate its bureaucracy.
“Institutional processes can be
difficult for students to navigate
difficult
first in their family
if they are the first
to attempt to enroll in a postsecondary program, and if they
don’t have a mentor or coach to
help them,” says Ms. Yuzicapi.
“We now have a proactive application strategy to assist students
The Saskatchewan Institute of
Applied Science and Technology
provides effective support to
enhance the success of Aboriginal
students, who make up 20% of
the institute’s student body.
photo: SUPPLIED
supplied
PHOTO:
with the process.”
SIAST is also engaging in
targeted outreach to Aboriginal
communities, revamping the
summer transition program for
new students and working to get
more mature Aboriginal students
– who are completing or upgrading high school diplomas – into
post-secondary programs.
centennial COLLEGE
college
CENTENNIAL
Learning abroad internationalizes student perspectives
hrough its Signature
Learning Experience, Centennial College is ensuring
its graduates are exposed to global
citizenship, social justice and equity opportunities from day one.
In 2009, in addition to Centennial’s mandatory general education course on social justice,
equity and inclusion, students
first
were offered the college’s first
Global Citizenship & Equity Learning Experiences.
These experiences are developed in collaboration with
Centennial’s International Department and the college’s eight
schools, ranging from business
“These students come
back transformed.
Their new competencies
are extremely important
in today’s global
marketplace.”
Vicki Bismilla,
Vice-president academic and
officer, Centennial
chief learning officer,
College
to community and health studies
and from science and engineering
technology to hospitality.
“We ask our faculty to share
their ideas and connections to
different places in the world
that have a need and an on-theground partner organization we
can work with. They then submit
their proposals,” says Vicki
Bismilla, vice-president academic
officer at
and chief learning officer
Centennial.
“The experiences have to be
service-learning oriented, and are
funded by our International Department, so the students’ only
financial obligation is participafinancial
tion in one fundraiser.”
Seven to 10 students and three
project leaders take part in each
experience.
During the 2011-2012 school
year, seven Global Citizenship &
Equity Learning Experiences are
being offered.
One will actually take place
in Canada, on Walpole Island,
an Aboriginal reserve in southwestern Ontario, and will focus
on working with Ojibwe women,
their families and communities
on empowerment and training.
Students in health-related programs will travel to Roatan, Honduras, where they will work in a
local clinic, providing support to
doctors and nurses who volunteer their expertise in providing
health care to the community.
Other opportunities includeworking with local materials on
community construction projects
in Cusco, Peru; participating in
an urban agricultural movement
in Varadero and Havana, Cuba;
and building a school and planting trees with members of the
Mara community in Kenya.
“These students come back
transformed,” says Dr. Bismilla.
“Their new competencies are
extremely important in today’s
global marketplace.”
photo: SUPPLIED
supplied
Centennial students at work with locals on community projects in Cusco, Peru. PHOTO:
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[email protected], 1-800-463-0752
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An INFORMATION
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Canadian COLLEGES
Colleges
CANADIAN
st. LAWRENCE
lawrence COLLEGE
college
ST.
Program leads the way in green job skills creation
igher fuel prices and the
climate impacts of greenhouse gas emissions are
creating a demand for renewable
energy technicians and technologists.
St. Lawrence College, which
has invested $6.6 million in
retrofits to its facilities,
energy retrofits
is a leader in educating and
training students in green energy
technologies.
“From a strategic planning
perspective, we recognized the
gap in skilled labour in these
areas, so we rolled out programming to meet the demands of the
employment market,” says Paige
Agnew, associate director of capital planning and sustainability.
The latest offering at the college is its Geothermal Engineering Technician program, starting
this fall. The college graduated
first class from the two-year
its first
Energy Systems Engineering
Technician program in 2007, and
also offers the three-year Energy
Systems Engineering Technologist, Wind Turbine Technician
college
NIAGARA COLLEGE
Farm-to-table experiences enhance culinary
education
tudying at the Canadian
Food & Wine Institute
(CFWI) at Niagara
College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake
Campus is a unique experience
in many ways. One example of
a curriculum with a difference –
earlier in February, in the middle
of a cold night, about 60 students
descended on lit vineyards on
campus to pick and press grapes
to be used to make icewine.
Located on 114 acres in Niagara’s wine region, the institute
has been operating Canada’s only
commercial teaching winery for
12 years, producing numerous
award-winning wines. It also runs
a teaching restaurant focused on
Canadian regional cuisine, and
first
recently added Canada’s first
teaching brewery.
“We provide a living applied
lab that immerses our students
in the true farm-to-table experience,” says Jon Ogryzlo, dean of
the CFWI. “We take the food and
beverage skills right back to the
land, with vineyards, organic gardens, greenhouse operations and
a planned hops yard for the brew
program.”
The institute prepares students
for a range of careers, including as
chefs, sommeliers and brewmasters, managers and business owners. Last fall, the CFWI introduced
a three-year Culinary Innovation
and Food Technology program –
first.
another Canadian first.
and combined Wind Turbine
Technician/Industrial Electrician
Co-op Apprenticeship programs.
“Our graduates are in high
demand. We have had calls from
firms saying they need
American firms
20 wind turbine technicians, but
all of our graduates are already
working,” says Shannon Claggett,
associate dean of applied science
and computing.
“Our Energy Systems graduates
have broad-reaching skills. They
are trained to look at today’s
commercial and residential
buildings and how you can add
in renewable energy to create
savings and bring about change,”
says Ms. Claggett.
The college’s upgraded facilities, which reduce energy costs
by $585,000 annually, are an
ideal, hands-on training ground
for students. St. Lawrence has
the largest solar installation of
any post-secondary institute in
Canada, generating $200,000
in revenue a year, and is also
home to a state-of-the-art training research solar facility and
Energy House, an off-the-grid
training facility equipped with
solar thermal and photovoltaic,
ground source heat pump, small
wind, solar air heating and other
sustainable technologies.
St. Lawrence College is home to Energy House, an off-the-grid training facility.
photo: ST.
St. LAWRENCE
Lawrence COLLEGE
College
PHOTO:
Innovation SNAPSHOTS
snapshots
INNOVATION
Thermal undergarment
designed for diving
On a cold February night, Niagara College students pick and press grapes to
photo: SUPPLIED
supplied
make icewine. PHOTO:
Students with culinary skills
and training in the food sciences
are in high demand, says Mr.
field of
Ogryzlo, particularly in the field
food processing, one of Ontario’s
largest industries.
“Processing companies told us
they’ve had a gap between their
scientists and their chefs,” he says.
“This program bridges that gap,
and will produce graduates who
can make great food and who understand the science and technology, with opportunities to work as
product development chefs, food
technologists, quality assurance
managers and more.”
Another strength of the program, he adds, is that culinary
grads from across Canada can
enter directly into the second year
of the food science program.
Whites Diving required applied research
h
expertise from Camosun College to
test a high-performance diving undergarment that would maximize warmth
flexibility.
and provide unrivalled flexibility.
With participation from students
at every stage, the undergarment was
rigorously tested against in-house and
competitor garments. Cold-water immerrsion and controlled-environment testing
g
determined effectiveness in protecting skin
and core body temperatures. The test results
sults
final design
were used to help inform the final
n
and then to ensure that the highest level
el of
comfort and warmth were assured.
My living room. My classroom. My education.
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t h e g l o b e a n d m a i l • W eEDNE
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UA RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 2
CANADIAN
Canadian COLLEGES
Colleges
FANSHAWE
Fanshawe COLLEGE
College
Colleges a source of post-graduate programming
any students studying
at Canadian colleges are
university graduates. At
Fanshawe College, about 10 per
cent of students already have a
degree.
“College and university are
two very different experiences
that are quite complementary,”
says Lane Trotter, senior vicepresident academic at Fanshawe.
“There is a definitive
definitive difference
in the skills of a college student,
who is job-ready upon graduation, and a university student,
who may need additional practical skills training.”
To meet this need, Fanshawe
College is poised to open its
School of Graduate and Professional Studies before the summer of 2012.
The college offers more than
20 graduate certificates
certificates in Business and Management, Communications, Contemporary
Media, Design, Human Services
and Health Sciences, Hospitality, Information Technology and
Manufacturing. The graduate
school will offer programs to
students who have already
achieved a high level of learning
such as a diploma, advanced
diploma or degree.
“We are developing more and
more graduate certificates
certificates as
more and more people come
here saying, ‘I have this credential, but I can’t get my foot
in the door to start my career.’
The goal is to provide intensive
technical training so they can
get started,” says Dr. Trotter.
It makes sense for colleges
to provide this kind of synergistic programming to university graduates, he adds. “Colleges were created to support
economic development and
provide advanced technical
training for people wanting to
get into the labour market. As
a result, we’re getting better
Fanshawe College’s graduate certificates help university graduates translate their education into careers through intensive technical training. PHOTO:
photo: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
istockphoto.com
at aligning colleges and universities into complementary
systems.”
Fanshawe also has articulation agreements with Canadian
and international universities,
making it easier for students to
transfer their credits in order to
pursue a university degree.
Sharon Carry.
Despite the wide range of
cultural and ethnic backgrounds,
educational credentials, learning needs, ages and geographic
origins among its student population, the college has a very high
completion rate.
“We have a better track record
of completion than the provincial
average: 83 per cent of certificertificate programs and 75 per cent of
diploma programs, compared
with 48 per cent and 59 per cent
respectively,” says Ms. Carry.
The key to Bow Valley’s success? “We see the people first
first and
the curriculum second, and put
them together in a way that leads
to student success,” she explains.
For example, a program called
Directions for Immigrants helps
internationally trained professionals restart their careers in
Alberta, helping them navigate
the accreditation process and the
local landscape to find
find work.
“We see the people
first and the curriculum
second, and put them
together in a way
that leads to student
success.”
Services range from workshops
on job searching and networking to study groups that help
physicians, nurses, pharmacists,
medical lab technologists and
engineers with licensing exams.
“We customize for every group
of people,” says Ms. Carry. “It’s always about work-ready graduates.
We have a 94 per cent employment rate within six months of
graduation.”
Bow Valley College has an
Aboriginal campus and is building
an Aboriginal Centre on its new
south campus. The centre will
enhance First Nation, Métis and
Inuit student success through
academic and program advising,
elder counselling, financial
financial advising, cultural sessions and student
gatherings.
“For Canadians who don’t know
how to read, immigrants with
PhDs and students from 117 different countries, Bow Valley College
is about access,” says Ms. Carry.
BOW
Bow VALLEY
Valley COLLEGE
College
The diversity advantage
o find
find the most diverse
spot in any city, one need
go no further than a college campus.
Bow Valley College in Calgary
boasts such a diverse student
population that students joke
that they should earn extra social
studies credits by walking down
the hall, says president and CEO
INNOVATION
Innovation SNAPSHOTS
snapshots
Ply-me: Beyond Covers
After seeing many towns in
Guatemala littered with plastic
bags, an entrepreneur returned
home to turn this eco-crisis
into a business opportunity.
After experimenting and creating a process to form and refine
refine
plastic bags into a material now
called “Ply-me,” the entrepreneur approached Durham
College to assist Beyond Covers
with proof of principle product
testing to ensure it adhered to
health and safety standards.
A research team, comprising
faculty and student research
assistants, conducted destructive and non-destructive testing
on Ply-me’s colouring, durability, life cycle and ultraviolet
protection.
Today, Ply-me is used to
produce a variety of products
for both residential and commercial use including barbecue
covers, patio furniture covers,
shower curtains, dog beds,
shingles and recycling bins.
Sharon Carry,
President and CEO,
Bow Valley College
Life is multiple choice.
And we have the answer key.
myexperience
Niagara College boasts more than 100 diploma,
graduate, bachelor degree and advanced
level programs with real-world experience and
practical skills. Study areas include food and
wine sciences, advanced technology, arts and
media, business, hospitality, applied health
and community studies.
Niagara College, the perfect place to
discover your place in the world.
NiagaraCollege.ca
TWO CAMPUSES IN WELLAND
AND NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
would hire
98% Employers
a SIAST grad again
97% Grad employment
18% Aboriginal student enrolment
26,000 Distinct students
770 Program advisors
304 e-Courses
AN
An INFORMATION
information FEATURE
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o b e a n d m a i l • W eEDNE
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CANADIAN
Canadian COLLEGES
Colleges
eCAMPUSALBERTA
eCampusAlberta
E-learning increasingly essential to life-long learning
hen eCampusAlberta
began in 2002, it had 460
registrants. With a growth
rate of more than 25 per cent a
year since then, registrations in
2010-2011 reached almost 17,000.
E-learning is a large growth area
for post-secondary education –
both in mainstream programs
and in distance learning.
eCampusAlberta is a consortium of 16 Alberta post-secondary
institutions, and serves as a hub
for online educators to extend
their reach to students across the
province.
“The availability of technology
is ubiquitous. It is in everybody’s
hands,” says Tricia Donovan,
executive director of eCampusAlberta. “Our students tell us they
choose to learn this way because
of its flexibility,
flexibility, choice and convenience.”
She says that 72 per cent of
eCampusAlberta registrants are
female and 28 per cent are male,
and they range from 16 to 73 years
old. Their success rate is high,
with 76 per cent of students completing their courses in 2010-2011.
“The colleges identified
identified what
they had available in online curricula, and we avoided duplication
where we could,” says Dr. Donovan, adding that more than 500
new courses have been developed
through eCampusAlberta, bringing the total number of courses to
more than 700.
Some of the new courses were
created through collaboration,
such as Lakeland College and
Red Deer College’s new online
Parts Technician program. Others,
such as Grande Prairie Regional
College’s new Active Aging Fitness
Practitioner program, deliver the
courses solo.
Dr. Donovan says the colleges
all share best practices, as they review their technology infrastructure and online program delivery.
“These institutions are working
together on efficiencies
efficiencies in developing solutions for learners,” she
says. “This is a great success story.”
Ralph Weeks, president and
CEO of Medicine Hat College, an
eCampusAlberta member, says
the real story is the phenomenal
growth in registration numbers.
“This was a market that was ripe,
and we hadn’t been meeting its
demand,” says Dr. Weeks. “We’ve
got the majority of post-secondary institutions in the province
supporting it, it is inexpensive,
and there are no infrastructure
costs. This is working.”
Paul Little, dean of the School
of Learning Innovation at the
Red River College of Applied
Arts, Science and Technology in
Manitoba, says that almost every
province has a co-ordinated
effort for online post-secondary
education delivery. But not all of
them are doing it as extensively
as eCampusAlberta and its other
provincial counterparts, Ontario-
“Our students tell us they
choose to learn this way
because of its flexibility,
choice and convenience.”
Tricia Donovan,
Executive Director,
eCampusAlberta
Learn.com, Contact North and
BCcampus.
As well, some are collegefocused, while others focus on
both college and university, he
says.
Campus Manitoba, for example,
is a consortium of Manitoba’s
post-secondary institutions that
provide access to college and
university courses and programs
through the Internet.
“My sense of e-learning is that
it is going to increasingly be the
norm, even as part of our main-
stream, campus-based options,”
says Mr. Little.
He says this alternative delivery
mode is continuing to grow with
technological advances in streaming video, Skype and gaming/
simulation opportunities.
He says e-learning will help to
solve one of the major problems
many students face: student debt.
“Many students have no choice
but to juggle school and a job.
This alternative delivery model
increases their opportunity to be
successful.”
As well, many students can’t
leave their communities because
of family or work obligations.
“We are looking at creating an
e-apprenticeship,” says Mr. Little.
“That would mean instead of leaving for two months to study, this
component can be reduced down
to one or two weeks so students
can work, be with their families
and stay off of unemployment
training support.”
ST.
St. CLAIR
Clair COLLEGE
College
School responds to growing
demand for skilled tradespeople in the Windsor and
Chatham regions
he economy is heating
up in the Windsor and
Chatham-Kent regions
in southwestern Ontario, which
is driving a gap between the
demand for highly skilled workers
and the supply.
Companies in the region have
delivered a clear message to St.
Clair College, says Ann Hetherington, director of student recruitment, to help them find
find employees with the skills they need. The
college has responded by developing and delivering several new
trades and technical programs.
“Employers are clamouring to fill
fill gaps in the precision
metal cutting (CNC) and welding
trades,” says Ms. Hetherington. “It
is a clear signal that the diversification
fication of the local economy is
now paying off.” In response, the
college has added intakes at the
Windsor Campus for its one-year
Welding Techniques Certificate
Certificate
by running an additional program starting this month. This
provides an opportunity for both
high school graduates and people
looking to upgrade their skills and
“Employers are
clamouring to fill gaps
in the precision metal
cutting (CNC) and
welding trades. It is a
clear signal that the
diversification of the
local economy is now
paying off.”
Ann Hetherington,
Director of Student Recruitment,
St. Clair College
At St. Clair College, students can develop skills for employment in local industries, including precision metal cutting,
welding and alternative energy. PHOTO:
photo: SUPPLIED
supplied
start a new career.
“The secondary school system
has embraced the notion that
there are numerous pathways to a
student’s future,” Ms. Hetherington adds. “The schools have been
very proactive in promoting apprenticeship training to students.”
In the new Trades & Technology Centre at the college’s
Chatham Campus, new programs
such as Powerline Technician
and Electromechanical Robotics
Technician are attracting students. Another growth area is the
alternative energy industry, says
Ms. Hetherington. “Wind turbines
and solar farms are increasing in
the region. Our Sustainable Energy Technician program includes
training in a lab that houses the
latest technologies, including
solar panels, a wind turbine and a
geothermal operating system.”
SHERIDAN
Sheridan COLLEGE
College
Integrating applied research
into curriculum valuable for
students
pplied research projects at
Ontario’s Sheridan College
are giving students across
a range of disciplines the chance
to apply their classroom learning
to real-world social and business
challenges.
Applied research enriches the
education experience in many
ways, according to Dr. Michael
Collins, associate vice-president,
Academic and Research, and
Sheridan is seeking ways to expand in this area.
“These research projects give
students incredible experience
and learning opportunities, and
often, connections in the world
of business,” says Dr. Collins. “To
date, our research has focused
on areas where we have strength
and expertise, including digital
media and gerontology, but the
long-term goal is to integrate applied research into the curriculum of all our programs.”
The Sheridan Elder Research
Centre recently received a
five-year federal grant to study
how technology can be used
to improve the health of older
Canadians. A company that
operates homes for the elderly is
a partner. As part of the program, students in gerontology,
computer sciences and business,
led by principal investigator Pat
Spadafora, carried out a survey
of residents of the homes last
summer.
“They did a full-scale survey of
all residents, asking them about
their access to and use of the
Internet,” Dr. Collins explains.
“This is part of our Aging in Place
project, and the next step is to
implement a project with the
company to put technology into
the homes.”
Another federally funded research project involves the Sheridan Institute for Research and
Training. Principal investigator
John Helliker is leading a team of
27 students and several faculty
members, in partnership with
various Canadian companies, in
projects related to 3D technology
in film and television production,
as well as gaming.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity
for students to solve real problems in the field,
field, in parallel with
their studies,” says Dr. Collins.
COLLEGE INNOVATOR
Innovator PROFILE
Profile
Blast Resistant
Shelter Installation
Dynamic Air Shelters, a leader in
the temporary shelter market, is
changing the landscape for rapid
response teams, industrial worksites and promotional events.
The company’s growth and
industry-leading performance
largely depends on the accurate
installation of their shelters by
their technicians and agents
around the world. When the
company decided to pursue establishing a certification
certification program
for the installation of Dynamic
Air Shelters, it approached College of the North Atlantic to
quantify the process of erecting
their Blast Resistant Shelters.
The partnership has led to a
comprehensive research project
to develop an effective nondestructive method for testing
of welded plastics. Such new
quality assurance techniques
and devices will have an impact
on this company and others in
the industry.
It’s not too late.
We have over 250 programs
to help you become what –
and who – you always
wanted to be. Check them
out at centennialcollege.ca
THE FUTURE OF LEARNING
FEATURE
INFORMATION feature
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CANADIAN Colleges
COLLEGES
Canadian
HUMBER College
COLLEGE
HUMBER
College program meets the need for conflict-resolution skills
he ability
ability to
to resolve
resolve conconhe
flicts is
is aa valuable
valuable asset
asset for
for
flicts
people in
in various
various careers,
careers,
people
Humber College’s
College’s research
research shows.
shows.
Humber
Now the
the Toronto
Toronto college
college is
is regregNow
istering students
students for
for aa graduate
graduate
istering
certificate in
in Alternative
Alternative Dispute
Dispute
certificate
Resolution (ADR),
(ADR), which
which starts
starts
Resolution
this fall
fall in
in The
The Business
Business School.
School.
this
Graduates could
could become
become
Graduates
mediators, arbitrators
arbitrators or
or conflictconflictmediators,
resolution facilitators
facilitators in
in the
the comcomresolution
munity, but
but the
the program
program has
has an
an
munity,
even broader
broader appeal
appeal and
and impact,
impact,
even
says Tracy
Tracy Ryder,
Ryder, the
the school’s
school’s asassays
sociate dean.
dean.
sociate
“This program
program is
is for
for people
people
“This
in legal
legal practice,
practice, but
but also
also for
for
in
those in
in human
human resources,
resources, social
social
those
work and
and in
in business,”
business,” Ms.
Ms. Ryder
Ryder
work
says. “Conflict
“Conflict appears
appears in
in many
many
says.
different settings,
settings, and
and aa range
range of
of
different
employers recognize
recognize the
the value
value
employers
of having
having people
people on
on staff
staff with
with
of
“We wanted the ADR
program to incorporate
an Aboriginal focus,
and we’re including
facilitation of healing
circles and restorative
justice practices in the
curriculum.”
Tracy Ryder,
Ryder,
Tracy
Associate Dean,
Dean, Humber
Humber College
College
Associate
the skills
skills to
to effectively
effectively resolve
resolve
the
conflict.”
conflict.”
Expecting strong
strong interest
interest in
in the
the
Expecting
program from
from people
people already
already in
in
program
the workforce,
workforce, Humber
Humber is
is proprothe
posing to
to offer
offer it
it with
with aa flexible
flexible
posing
schedule, for
for example
example running
running
schedule,
classes on
on weekends.
weekends. The
The faculty
faculty
classes
will include
include aa number
number of
of specialspecialwill
ists in
in dispute
dispute resolution,
resolution, among
among
ists
them judges.
judges.
them
Enrolment by
by Aboriginal
Aboriginal CanaCanaEnrolment
dians is
is increasing
increasing at
at Humber
Humber and
and
dians
is also
also reflected
reflected in
in the
the program
program
is
design. “We
“We wanted
wanted the
the ADR
ADR proprodesign.
gram to
to incorporate
incorporate an
an AborigiAborigigram
nal focus,
focus, and
and we’re
we’re including
including
nal
facilitation of
of healing
healing circles
circles and
and
facilitation
restorative justice
justice practices
practices in
in the
the
restorative
curriculum,” says
says Ms.
Ms. Ryder.
Ryder.
curriculum,”
FLEMING College
COLLEGE
Fleming
Alternative dispute
dispute resolution
resolution skills
skills will
will help
help Humber
Humber College
College graduates
graduates bring
bring value
value to
to future
future employers.
employers.
Alternative
PHOTO: supplied
SUPPLIED
photo:
LETHBRIDGE College
COLLEGE
lethbridge
Research into “aquaponics” for the Canadian
environment
he Aquaculture
Aquaculture Centre
Centre
he
of Excellence
Excellence (ACE)
(ACE) at
at
of
Alberta’s Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Alberta’s
College is
is preparing
preparing to
to embark
embark
College
on innovative
innovative research
research that
that it
it
on
believes could
could have
have far-reaching
far-reaching
believes
impacts for
for aquaculture
aquaculture across
across
impacts
Canada, including
including in
in the
the North.
North.
Canada,
The research
research is
is in
in aa field
field most
most
The
people likely
likely aren’t
aren’t familiar
familiar
people
with: aquaponics,
aquaponics, the
the producproducwith:
tion of
of vegetables,
vegetables, herbs
herbs and
and
tion
water plants
plants from
from nutrients
nutrients
water
coming from
from fish
fish in
in an
an aquaculaquaculcoming
ture operation.
operation. The
The Aquaculture
Aquaculture
ture
Centre has
has studied
studied and
and grown
grown
Centre
aquaponics produce
produce for
for aa dedeaquaponics
cade, despite
despite the
the limitations
limitations of
of
cade,
Canada’s northern
northern environment,
environment,
Canada’s
says John
John Derksen,
Derksen, head
head of
of
says
research and
and an
an instructor
instructor in
in the
the
research
Environmental Science
Science program.
program.
Environmental
“Most aquaponics
aquaponics operations
operations
“Most
are in
in places
places like
like Florida
Florida or
or
are
Lethbridge College
College has
has used
used aquaponics
aquaponics to
to grow
grow produce
produce for
for more
more than
than
Lethbridge
decade. photo:
PHOTO: supplied
SUPPLIED
aa decade.
California, because
because in
in Canada,
Canada,
California,
the climate
climate restricts
restricts operations,”
operations,”
the
says Mr.
Mr. Derksen.
Derksen. “We
“We currently
currently
says
operate from
from October
October to
to May,
May,
operate
but our
our new
new research
research goal
goal is
is to
to
but
develop an
an aquaponics
aquaponics system
system
develop
tailor-made for
for the
the Canadian
Canadian
tailor-made
environment.”
environment.”
The plan
plan is
is to
to develop
develop selfselfThe
contained, portable
portable aquaponics
aquaponics
contained,
units that
that can
can function
function in
in the
the
units
coldest of
of temperatures.
temperatures. “These
“These
coldest
units could
could be
be transported
transported to
to the
the
units
Far North,
North, for
for example,
example, and
and supsupFar
ply people
people with
with fresh
fresh vegetables
vegetables
ply
year-round,” Mr.
Mr. Derksen
Derksen says.
says.
year-round,”
“Aquaponics has
has aa number
number of
of
“Aquaponics
advantages, including
including the
the fact
fact
advantages,
that plants
plants grow
grow four
four to
to five
five
that
times faster
faster than
than in
in the
the ground,”
ground,”
times
he adds.
adds. “And
“And produce
produce raised
raised
he
through this
this technology
technology should
should
through
be able
able to
to be
be certified
certified organic,
organic,
be
because all
all the
the nutrients
nutrients come
come
because
from the
the fish.”
fish.”
from
ADRBENEFIT
SKILLS
ALL CAREERS
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE
Residing with the legal programs but open to anyone,
this program includes the use of principled negotiations,
mediation and arbitration to resolve disputes between
individuals, businesses, insured and insurers, individuals
and government agencies, and within families.
Gain a competitive career edge with knowledge of
dispute resolution in these key areas: Aboriginal Focus,
Commercial, Community Outreach, Family and Insurance.
Business
Construction
Government
Healthcare
Human Resources
Management
Insurance
Law
Management Consulting
Military
Realty
Social Services
Teaching
business.humber.ca
Lethbridge College studen
students are immersed in
one of more than 50 caree
career-training programs
practice the concepts
From day one, they get to pra
they learn in the classroom, whether studying
cougar DNA, designing Don Cherry jackets
for local media, or learning how to respond to
domestic violence calls in a simulated environment.
Look to Lethbridge College.
Welcome to Your Future.
lethbridgecollege.ca
Reinventing applied learning
iving students
students realrealiving
world problems
problems to
to solve
solve
world
enhances learning
learning in
in aa
enhances
bold, new
new way.
way. As
As aa result,
result, some
some
bold,
of today’s
today’s colleges
colleges are
are rethinking
rethinking
of
how applied
applied learning
learning takes
takes place.
place.
how
An hour
hour outside
outside of
of Toronto
Toronto
An
in the
the Peterborough/Kawartha
Peterborough/Kawartha
in
Lakes region,
region, Sir
Sir Sandford
Sandford FlemFlemLakes
ing College
College is
is an
an example
example of
of this.
this.
ing
With aa core
core promise
promise to
to students
students
With
to innovate
innovate in
in its
its programs
programs and
and
to
practices, the
the college
college released
released aa
practices,
plan in
in February
February 2011
2011 to
to redesign
redesign
plan
programs in
in key
key areas
areas where
where
programs
applied learning
learning opportunities
opportunities
applied
could be
be enhanced.
enhanced.
could
“Students come
come to
to college
college for
for
“Students
career preparation,
preparation, knowledge
knowledge
career
and, specifically,
specifically, skills.
skills. Applied
Applied
and,
learning is
is about
about acquiring
acquiring those
those
learning
skills,” says
says Tony
Tony Tilly,
Tilly, president
president
skills,”
of Fleming.
Fleming.
of
“While that’s
that’s always
always been
been aa
“While
core characteristic
characteristic of
of Fleming,
Fleming,
core
over the
the last
last two
two years
years we’ve
we’ve
over
looked at
at the
the applied
applied learning
learning
looked
dimension in
in all
all of
of our
our programs
programs
dimension
and ways
ways to
to expand
expand and
and enrich
enrich
and
it.”
it.”
Everyone benefits
benefits in
in the
the end,
end,
Everyone
Dr. Tilly
Tilly adds.
adds. “We
“We find
find the
the more
more
Dr.
interaction we
we have
have between
between
interaction
the college,
college, the
the community
community and
and
the
the workplace,
workplace, the
the more
more benefit
benefit
the
there is
is for
for the
the students,
students, commucommuthere
nities and
and employers.”
employers.”
nities
Students in
in the
the Geographic
Geographic InInStudents
formation Systems
Systems program,
program, for
for
formation
example, undertake
undertake projects
projects for
for
example,
municipalities, the
the private
private sector
sector
municipalities,
and conservation
conservation organizations,
organizations,
and
Dr. Tilly
Tilly says.
says. “Along
“Along the
the way,
way,
Dr.
they learn
learn not
not just
just the
the skills
skills in
in
they
geographic information
information systems,
systems,
geographic
they learn
learn about
about the
the problems
problems
they
themselves, the
the alternative
alternative ways
ways
themselves,
to address
address them
them and
and the
the skills
skills
to
needed to
to present
present solutions
solutions to
to
needed
employers and
and convince
convince them
them
employers
that their
their ideas
ideas are
are viable.”
viable.”
that
He says
says the
the employers
employers who
who
He
partner with
with Fleming’s
Fleming’s faculty
faculty
partner
and students
students equally
equally benefit.
benefit. “I
“I
and
visited some
some of
of our
our partner
partner manmanvisited
ufacturers this
this fall.
fall. To
To be
be toured
toured
ufacturers
around and
and have
have aa company
company
around
president point
point to
to aa machine
machine and
and
president
say, ‘Your
‘Your students
students had
had aa hand
hand in
in
say,
designing this
this machine,’
machine,’ that
that is
is
designing
how aa student
student can
can learn
learn somesomehow
thing where
where there
there is
is no
no textbook
textbook
thing
answer –– and
and an
an employee
employee benbenanswer
efits from
from their
their knowledge.”
knowledge.”
efits