Home / Articles posted by Hawa Guindo

July 18, 2024

The Future of Canada’s Trades Sector Lies with Colleges and Institutes

Fact: In the past 24 months, more than 2,200 high school students have explored the possibility of pursuing fulfilling careers in the skilled trades and related fields through summits hosted by 17 colleges and institutes across the country.

It’s an example of the work our sector does to nurture 21st century talent – with the right skills – ready to meet workforce demands in areas like construction and manufacturing that respond to Canada’s big challenges.

In the context of labour shortages – notably the looming retirement of over 700,000 tradespeople by 2028 – training and upskilling resilient, adaptable workers is critical to meeting those challenges.

The good news is that the work we do brings Canada’s colleges and institutes together to develop solutions.

Between the 2022 and 2024 academic years, our members hosted 31 skilled trades summits through our Explore Trades and Technologies program. With 50 hands-on workshops in areas like automotive, manufacturing, and construction the summits empowered high school students to explore skilled careers, challenged traditional stereotypes, and showcased skilled trades as ambitious and rewarding career paths accessible to everyone.

So far, we’ve achieved a lot:

In particular, the summits saw nearly 50% female participants, highlighting a push to diversify the trades and encourage more women to explore traditionally male-dominated fields – essential to filling Canada’s skills gaps. Read more about how colleges and institutes empower women.

And, the summits were some of the largest events of their kind. In Manitoba, the summit hosted by Assiniboine College, was one of the largest in the province – with an increase in participation of more than 50% over previous similar events. (From 200 students in 2023 to 320 in 2024)!

In the context of Canada’s big challenges – things like providing sustainable and affordable housing and transitioning to clean energies – it’s more important than ever that we take advantage of colleges and institutes as educators and partners to be a bigger part of the solution.

Empowering the next generation of Canadian leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to pursue rewarding careers aligned with their passions and talents is a start.

Home / Articles posted by Hawa Guindo

March 7, 2024

Commuting is Community

Did you know that cars and trucks are responsible for approximately 17% of global CO2 emissions? Transportation is an important part of our lives, yet it contributes substantially to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Vehicles powered by fossil fuels, such as gasoline and diesel, emit mostly carbon dioxide (98%) and small amounts of methane and nitrous oxide. Beyond GHGs, they release pollutants causing air, soil, and water contamination, leading to 7 million deaths a year from car-related air pollution.

Changing the way we get around is an important part of embracing an eco-friendly future.

Set your institution up for success!

For colleges and institutes, transportation falls into the category of Scope 3 emissions. That means emissions that are not directly produced by an institution itself, but are instead emitted by activities it is indirectly responsible for – such as commuting to and from campus.

Our new guide Commuting and Campuses: A Guide to Sustainable Transportation Solutions can help reduce Scope 3 emissions on your campus. The guide shares valuable lessons learned from across the sector, resources to start new initiatives, and ideas to inspire others to make a bigger impact.

10 ways to use the guide:

No matter where you are on your sustainable transportation journey, use this guide to encourage your staff and students to travel in more sustainable ways.

Organize a commuter survey. Commuter surveys are a method of gathering information about how students and staff are travelling to and from campus, their reasons for choosing certain modes of transportation, and typical travel times, and gauging levels of interest in shifting to more sustainable modes of transportation.
Optimize your transportation systems. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is a strategic plan to make the most of your current set upsetupcouraging people to use more efficient modes of transportation. TDM plans can provide strategies for reducing the reliance on single-occupancy vehicles, and improve overall transportation efficiency.
Support bicycle purchasing. One way to encourage a shift in transportation on campuses is financial support for students and staff who would like to purchase a bicycle. This can be in the form of loans, grants, or subsidies.
Start a bike share program. Bike share programs are a great way to make bicycles available for shared use to students and staff on a short-term, as-needed basis.
Invest parking revenues in sustainable transportation incentives. Allocating revenue from things like parking fees can increase available funding for sustainable transportation initiatives.
Open end-of-trip facilities and protected bicycle parking. End-of-trip facilities are amenities provided at the destination point of a cycling trip. They make commuting by bicycle more attractive, convenient, and comfortable by addressing common challenges and concerns cyclists face.
Connect to active transportation infrastructure. Connecting or creating active transportation corridors that connect to your campus can help more students and staff use active modes of transportation.
Minimize trips to and from campus. Providing services on campus or situating the campus in a central location, providing student housing, and offering flexible work and study arrangements can help reduce motor vehicle congestion to and from campus.
Strengthen relations with government. Building a strong working relationship with decision-makers in your local government means having a government partner who knows your transportation needs and goals. They could also help you discover potential funding sources to support initiatives and help your ideas become reality.
Celebrate and create awareness. Creating a fun, supportive, and informed culture around sustainable transportation can encourage more students and staff to get out of their vehicles and try out other modes of transportation.

The guide was developed as part of the ImpAct-Climate program, funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

March 4-8 is SDG Week Canada.

SDG Week Canada is a national collaboration to increase awareness and encourage progress towards to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on college, institute, and university campuses.

In that context, use this guide to advance your institutions commitment to SDG 13 Climate Action!

SDG Week Canada is organized by the Sustainability Hub at UBC, SDSN Canada hosted by the University of Waterloo, and Colleges and Institutes Canada.

Your institution can take part by organizing a panel, workshop, or other events on campus. Each event helps create a supportive national environment in which post-secondary institutions work together and across disciplines to advance the SDGs, to better integrate the guiding values of the SDGs across programming, and to build long-term momentum for SDG action across the sector.

Home / Articles posted by Hawa Guindo

November 16, 2023

Building for Tomorrow: A Diverse and Dynamic Future in Trades

First published in November 2023, and authored by Dina McNeil, Director of Projects and Programs, Colleges and Institutes Canada

Canada’s rich diversity is unmistakable. Yet, as the country faces an urgent need for more tradespeople, there’s a noticeable lack of representation in the skilled trades. Career opportunities in construction and manufacturing—rewarding occupations with good pay—exist across the country. Colleges and institutes are playing a pivotal role in addressing this shortage and reshaping the landscape by creating programs and partnering with industries to pave the way for a more inclusive future in the trades.

Central to this endeavor is our commitment to outreach events aimed at making the trades an inviting space for everyone. Our Explore Trades and Technology program is a testament to this, where colleges and industry leaders provide high school students with a comprehensive view of the trades, challenging traditional stereotypes. These hands-on events inspire the next generation to see the skilled trades as more than just jobs, but ambitious and fulfilling career choices, accessible to all.

We’ve made remarkable progress in creating opportunities for women in the trades over recent years. Initiatives like Conestoga College’s Engineering, Technology, and Trades for Women convey to women that the trades are not only open but welcoming. Dynamic recruitment campaigns further this narrative, depicting a career in the trades as compelling and rewarding—a message that is finding resonance with an increasing number of female learners.

Knowing that recruiting a diverse pool of workers is just the beginning, we emphasize the importance of supporting these learners, ensuring their sustained success in the trades. Saskatchewan Polytech’s Women in Trades and Technology initiative embodies this approach, positioning mentorship at its core. By connecting students with experienced professionals, we’re fostering an environment where guidance, support, and a sense of belonging are paramount.

Pre-apprenticeship programs tailored for underrepresented groups is another way we’re supporting a more diverse skilled trades sector. For instance, Lethbridge College’s Pathways to the Trades program prepares newcomers for the Alberta Apprenticeship entry exam while enhancing their integration into Canadian workplace culture. Participants discover a range of trades and visit job sites, build job search strategies and professional networks, and improve their trade-specific English language skills.

Programs like these serve as catalysts for change in the trades. By providing these opportunities, there’s a cyclical impact: the more women, newcomers, Indigenous people, visible minorities, and 2SLGBTQI+ people we usher into the trades, the more it’s seen as a suitable sector for them.

We’re also helping the construction and manufacturing sectors create positive and inclusive work environments through our new ApprenticeConnect platform. Developed in partnership with seven colleges and institutes across Canada, this platform provides tailored tools and resources such as inclusive hiring strategies, tips on fostering a supportive workplace culture, and access to diversity and inclusion training. Our aim is to ensure these businesses have the necessary tools to not only recruit but also retain and elevate a diverse workforce.

Having equipped businesses with the tools to foster inclusivity, it’s equally essential to provide tangible incentives that drive diverse hiring decisions. Our Career Launcher Apprenticeships program, funded by the Government of Canada, rewards employers who champion diversity in their hiring practices. Employers double their incentive, from $5,000 to $10,000, when they hire a new apprentice from an underrepresented group. Impressively, more than half of new apprentices hired through the program belong to one of these groups, highlighting its tangible impact.

At colleges and institutes, we’re not just educators; we’re change-makers. Every new program we create, recruitment drive we conduct, student we enrol, and mentorship initiative we introduce edges us closer to our vision: a trades sector mirroring Canada’s diverse population. But there’s still a lot of work to be done and achieving this vision requires collective action. We urge businesses, educators, policymakers, and the general public to join us in this transformative journey. Support these initiatives, invest in the future of trades, and together, let’s build a more inclusive and prosperous future.

Home / Articles posted by Hawa Guindo

August 17, 2023

Virtual simulations are changing the future of healthcare education (SDG 4)

The long-standing challenges of securing clinical placements for healthcare programs, exacerbated by COVID-19, have significantly limited opportunities for students to gain valuable workplace experience. These challenges are even more pronounced for students living outside large urban areas or those belonging to underrepresented groups who face additional barriers to access.

To ensure the next generation of healthcare professionals are well-equipped, healthcare educators are seeking out creative learning opportunities. More than ever, virtual simulations are emerging as a modality to help students develop a broader range of clinical competencies in a scalable and cost-effective way.

SDG 4 challenges us to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. That means we need to find innovative ways to develop learning tools that can enhance educational resources and lead to successful employment for all students in Canada, wherever they live.

Virtu-WIL is an innovative work-integrated learning (IWIL) project that has given the opportunity to educators to collaborate with simulation experts to create virtual simulations. From this collaboration, educators across Canada can freely access over 185 virtual simulations as open educational resources designed to give students in nursing, medical laboratory sciences, paramedicine, and sonography programs hands-on learning experiences to improve their clinical skills and knowledge. In fact, in one year of the Virtu-WIL program, our open educational resources were viewed by 12,000 educators, students, and community members. Additionally, over 4,700 students gained job-ready skills through Virtu-WIL while being connected with labor market partners.

While new educational models and teaching methods can open new opportunities for students, they can often be a challenge for educators. That’s why Virtu-WIL and Simulation Canada also hosted a series of one-of-a-kind workshops to support educators embedding virtual simulation into educational programming.

Over 100 college and institute educators had the opportunity to learn from world-leading experts in the field of virtual simulation pedagogy and to share best practices and strategies with each other.

As we continue to strive towards SDG 4, Virtu-WIL is a testament to our collective commitment to providing quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Virtu-WIL is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) through the Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative.

Home / Articles posted by Hawa Guindo

August 15, 2023

Empowering change: How a free microcredential launched Arlyn’s healthcare career

“While working in the housekeeping field, I was contemplating getting a Health Care Aide certificate. I saw the SCA program as the perfect opportunity to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue my new career path.” – Arlyn Estolero, SCA Graduate

In October 2021, Arlyn Estolero was working in housekeeping and had no previous experience in healthcare. She was contemplating a career shift when she saw an ad for the free Supportive Care Assistant (SCA) microcertificate program at NorQuest College. The program’s unique features, including free training, a paid work placement, and a $5,000 stipend to upskill, gave Arlyn the boost she needed to start her journey into the healthcare field.

The SCA program is a free microcertificate designed to attract and train new healthcare workers. In the last two years, over 1,000 students benefited from online training, paid work placements, and a $5,000 stipend for further studies. This provided job seekers with meaningful employment, strengthened the care sector, and supported clients and staff at 400+ establishments.

As an SCA student, Arlyn’s paid work placement in four different departments of an assisted-living facility proved invaluable. Arlyn expressed deep gratitude for the mentorship and guidance she received during the program. The compassionate staff at the facility patiently trained and supported her as she developed the essential skills required for success in healthcare.

Reflecting on her transformative journey, Arlyn shared, “The hands-on experience through the SCA program not only increased my confidence but it also gave me a comprehensive understanding of different areas within healthcare facilities. This exposure positively influenced my ability to adapt and contribute effectively to various aspects of healthcare.”

After finishing the SCA program, Arlyn took advantage of a $5,000 stipend to continue her studies and enrolled in a Health Care Aide certificate program. She continued working part-time at her placement facility while pursuing her certificate but was able to prioritize her studies thanks to the financial support provided by the stipend.

In April 2023, Arlyn eagerly sought employment as a Health Care Aide, excited about the opportunity to provide compassionate care to patients and residents, and be an integral part of a healthcare team.

Wholeheartedly endorsing the program, Arlyn said, “My personal growth, career development, and the invaluable connections made within the healthcare community were all possible because of the SCA program. It is a very helpful program, especially for people without a healthcare background.”

Her advice to others considering the program is simple yet powerful: embrace the experience, be open to learning, and revel in the joy of making a positive difference in the lives of seniors and patients—an experience she describes as both fun and rewarding.

While only a limited number of colleges and institutes are currently accepting new students for the SCA program, current students and graduates can still take advantage of the $5,000 stipend to upskill.

Home / Articles posted by Hawa Guindo

July 5, 2023

How do you ensure the sustainability of the trades?

A 2021 RBC Thought Leadership report predicted that by 2028, over 700,000 skills trades people in Canada will retire. It also said that one of the main challenges facing the sector is the continued underrepresentation of women and immigrants. The challenges are significant, it said. So are the opportunities.

Keeping up with the demand for skilled trades workers in Canada requires more effective action to attract people from underrepresented groups to pre-apprenticeship programs and, eventually, to a promising career. That’s where we come in.

Our work brings colleges and institutes across the country together in ways that maximize our collective impact.

Apprenticeships are work-integrated learning opportunities that combine on-the-job training with classroom learning. They are valuable experiences for both students entering the trades and for employers. Apprenticeships support employers in recruiting new talent and ensure that students graduate with the skills employers need.

Pre-apprenticeship programs prepare students to enter apprenticeship systems, develop their job skills and trade readiness, and eventually find work as apprentices.

Colleges and institutes are leaders in accessible learning pathways. As experts in hands-on learning, they offer over 300 pre-apprenticeship programs in over 20 skilled trades. And, over 80 of those programs are designed to support groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the trades.

Three years ago, in partnership with the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, we launched a program to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the skilled trades – such as women, Indigenous people, newcomers, people with disabilities and youth – and contributes to their success.

Unlocking Inclusive Pre-Apprenticeship Pathways helps those facing barriers to education access tailored training designed to support skills development, applied learning opportunities and the pursuit of a fulfilling career.

We gathered data, conducted interviews, and developed a suite of resources – including an environmental scan, a pre-apprenticeship program inventory, a Diversity and Inclusion tool, and more – to make an impact across the sector.

Make your programs more inclusive! Use the Diversity and Inclusion Tool to evaluate a program at the Pre-Program Delivery, Program Delivery and Post-Program Delivery stages. The tool offers best practices to help make your pre-apprenticeship programs more inclusive to underrepresented groups.

What now?

An eye-opening experience. Of 84 participants who successfully completed the program, 77% expressed an interest in pursuing careers in trades-related fields, and 60% expressed a desire to complete an apprenticeship.

If we want to build a more sustainable trades sector, we need more plumbers, boilermakers, heavy equipment operators, and welders that reflect the diversity of our communities. 

By prioritizing diversity, inclusion, and equitable access to training opportunities, more people can see themselves in trades-related fields.

Home / Articles posted by Hawa Guindo

May 25, 2023

The SCA program is the door to a fulfilling career in healthcare

Bunmi Oni enrolled in the Supportive Care Assistant (SCA) program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic only four months after arriving in Canada. With previous experience working in the banking sector, the SCA program was Bunmi’s first step into healthcare.

The program provided her with six weeks of free online training, followed by a two-month paid work placement with Sanctum Care Group in Saskatoon. Bunmi enjoyed both aspects of the program, particularly her work placement.

“The experience gained during the work placement was an unforgettable one,” she said. “I was able to put into practice and enhance the skills learned in the online training.”

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 Good Health and Well-being calls on us to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all people at all ages.

The SCA program not only introduced Bunmi to a career in long-term care but also inspired her to continue her studies to become a Continuing Care Assistant (CCA)*. As an SCA graduate, she can receive a $5,000 stipend to support her CCA studies including tuition, books, certifications, dependant care, uniforms, transportation, etc.

For Bunmi, the experience was truly meaningful. She hopes to one day become a licensed practical nurse and is grateful for the opportunity the SCA program provided to achieve her short-term career goals and work towards future career success.

A gateway to a fulfilling career in healthcare. After completing the SCA program, Bunmi was offered full-time work at Sanctum Care Group and highly recommends the program to anyone looking to start a career in healthcare. She believes the program provides an excellent learning experience and job opportunities at no financial cost.

The SCA program helps individuals like Bunmi learn in-demand skills, get hands-on work experience, and launch their careers in healthcare. By providing support to those in their community, students in the program are contributing to the well-being of others.

Bunmi was quick to add, “I absolutely recommend this program for anyone looking to start a career in long-term care!”

*Continuing Care Assistant is the common title for personal care providers in Saskatchewan. Other provinces use different titles, including Personal Support Worker in Ontario and New Brunswick and Health Care Aide in Alberta and Manitoba.

Home / Articles posted by Hawa Guindo

May 10, 2023

Every day, nurses across the country dedicate themselves to protecting our health

They provide compassionate and professional care to Canadians, even in the most difficult of times. Yet, as our population ages and our healthcare needs become more demanding, Canada continues to face an unprecedented shortage of healthcare workers.

In fact, a 2019 survey by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Union revealed that 73% of nurses reported that their institutions were frequently operating over capacity, indicating the strain on the healthcare system.

SDG 3 Good Health & Well-being challenges us to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. That means we need to find innovative ways to train more workers and to encourage more students to enter healthcare fields.

Colleges and institutes are leaders in developing learning tools that enhance healthcare education resources to employment. Did you know that colleges, institutes, and universities currently offer 308 nursing programs, 93 medical laboratory sciences programs, and 55 paramedicine programs across Canada?

SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth challenges us to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Our Virtu-WIL project does just that. It enables learners to develop job-ready skills while addressing some of the challenges in healthcare in an innovative way.

Virtu-WIL means more aspiring nurses, medical laboratory scientists, paramedics, and sonographers can now dive into a world of immersive, hands-on learning experiences that simulate real-world challenges.

Virtual simulations are digitally-simulated clinical experiences created by educators to help students improve their skills and knowledge. With Virtu-WIL, students can improve their clinical competencies in a fun and engaging way.

Through the program, 137 free virtual simulations for students to develop the practical skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their future careers (with 54 new simulations coming, including eight in sonography). In each virtual simulation, students explore clinical scenarios, assess different situations, and then receive instant feedback on their decisions. In an increasingly complex and diverse healthcare sector Virtu-WIL is an essential resource for students looking to gain practical experience in their field.

Virtu-WIL also strengthens partnerships between post-secondary institutions, employers, and technology suppliers. These collaborations are essential to ensuring that healthcare education keeps up with the demands of the industry and prepares students for the workforce.

National Nursing Week is May 8-14. The celebration puts a national spotlight on nurses and ensures Canadians, policymakers, and governments understand how nurses contribute to our well-being and the indispensable role they play in our communities.

Home / Articles posted by Hawa Guindo

February 14, 2023

SDG Week Canada is coming to a campus near you!

Brought to you by CICan, SDSN Canada, and the Sustainability Hub at UBC, SDG Week Canada is a chance to showcase and accelerate the SDGs on college, institute, and university campuses in a coordinated, collaborative way. Join over 25 CICan members in offering your own workshops, panels, and other interactive programming to increase awareness of and engagement with the 17 SDGs on campuses. March 6-10. 

The Sustainable Development Goals give us a model for collaboration to create positive change. They are a global call to action for countries, communities and campuses to work together to solve issues that affect us all – like poverty, hunger, inequality, and climate change – while planning for a long-term equitable, peaceful, and prosperous future. Everyone has a role to play in making progress towards the goals.

At ImpAct-Climate, we have the privilege of working closely with colleges and institutes across the country that are committed to the SDGs. Most recently, we’ve been working with 10 colleges and institutes to turn their campuses into living labs that demonstrate how we can maximize the impact of Canada’s largest postsecondary network. Keep scrolling for a funding opportunity!

At Norquest College, the Green Café team uses rescued or left over food ingredients to deliver delicious, chef-prepared meals to students free-of-charge while raising awareness about sustainable consumption and production patterns. (SDGs 2, 3 & 12)
At Canadore College, the team is using climate resistant sustainable technologies (solar power) to displace the use of fossil fuels to help create food sovereignty for rural and Indigenous communities. (SDGs 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 12 & 13)
At Conestoga College, the Bloom Café demonstrates ways to lower our impact on the environment by eliminating single use packaging for take-away items, reducing food and solid waste from restaurant operations, and understanding the GHG impact of the ingredients used in each dish. (SDGs 9, 12 & 13)
At Georgian College, the Climate Action Lab and the departments of Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation are reducing food-related emissions through sustainable practices such as localizing ingredients, reducing food waste, composting, urban farming, reducing, and recycling plastics. They are also working with students and community members to create an emissions dashboard and carbon counter to track, expand, and scale climate action initiatives in the region. (SDGs 2, 3, 4, 11, 12 & 13)
At Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne, the climate action laboratory organizes GHG emissions reduction activities for students and community members. The team is also actively engaging the community in co-designing an aquaponic infrastructure that could be installed on their campus to provide fresh, healthy, and readily available food all year. (SDGs 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 13 & 17)
At Cambrian College, the Climate Action Lab team uses their year-round, four-season Indigenous learning space to teach individuals about sustainability, as well as many other topics, through an Indigenous lens of ways of knowing, being, and doing. (SDGs 4, 10, 11 & 16)
At Dawson College, the climate action team is working to offset transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions from physical education courses by planting a living carbon offset in the form of a raised wetland, thanks to the efforts of 25 students who built the project by hand. (SDGs 6, 9, 11, 13 & 15) 
At College of the Rockies, the team is reducing greenhouse gas emissions on campus by diverting organics from the landfill to their campus composter and by growing leafy greens on campus to replace those that travel thousands of kilometres from farm to their campus culinary program. (SDGs 2, 3, 9, 11, 12 & 13)
At Vanier College, the Climate Action Laboratory raises awareness about the benefits of replacing traditional campus lawn care with sustainable low-carbon maintenance approaches. The Lab is working with local elementary schools to implement strategies to promote successional growth and to convert lawns to food gardens for local consumption. (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12 & 13)
At Mohawk College, the team is raising awareness about greenhouse gases and energy with print and digital signage in high traffic areas on campus to help people understand their contributions to climate change and to support campus-wide decision making by analyzing detailed energy data. (SDGs 9, 11, 12 & 13)