What’s on My Mind? with Pari Johnston.
If there’s one thing on my mind, it’s change. Coming together to set priorities, coordinate, and share resources can help us prepare for it and manage it.
As an association, that’s why we bring together college and institute leaders through networking and capacity building events. It’s the strategic conversations we have that will help us define shared goals and focus solutions on big societal challenges.
Change can be intimidating. But I’m hopeful and optimistic.
As leaders in education, we’re going to do big, bold things.
Colleges and institutes are high value partners. We are educators; we are innovators; we are job creators; we are trusted partners; we are anchor institutions in our towns, cities, provinces, territories, and regions.
Our network prepares nearly 800,000 learners in urban, rural, remote, and northern communities with more than 10,000 programs across all sectors, conducts more than 8,000 applied research projects annually, and adds over $190B to Canada’s economy each year.
That’s the value of a college or institute education.
If we frame that impact around our big challenges – like providing sustainable and affordable housing, transitioning to clean energies, and driving productivity and industrial transformation – what we do ensures we have a skilled trades workforce to meet housing demand, ensures workers are equipped to thrive in green and digital industries, makes businesses more innovative, efficient, and productive, and more.
Our future prosperity depends on what we do collectively – not just for the learner, but for our country and communities. And, it ensures our transitions are just, fair, and equitable for all.
As leaders in education, a lot is going to be asked of us.
When we talk about the value of the college and institute sector, we should be asking ourselves what problems we’re solving. We need to think purposefully about the connection between what we teach and what we need in our workforce. That goes for the housing crisis as well as other challenges like responding to the energy transition, the needs of the care economy and digital transformation.
As institutions, what we can do is ensure that we create spaces – whether that’s in a traditional classroom, through online courses, in a mobile classroom, or using tech like virtual reality – spaces that meet talent and opportunities where they are at – especially in rural, remote, northern, and Indigenous communities. In other words, to ensure that all the talent we see in our towns, cities and communities is provided an opportunity to contribute to our economy and to our society.
It’s not just about the skills training, or the research, or the partnerships. It’s about what we can achieve when it all comes together in shared purpose.
The time for colleges and institutes is now.
Two weeks ago, we brought the sector together at our national conference – the largest event of its kind. Navigating change was very much on the agenda.
Our sector is under major pressures, with declining provincial funding and increasing labour market demands. All in the context of a very public national conversation on sustainable growth in international student numbers and global competition for talent and skills. Still, there is a role for our sector to scale and connect institutional efforts to deliver on urgent national challenges.
- In my keynote address, I shared my vision for a bold national agenda in which Canada’s publicly funded colleges and institutes are recognized as mission-critical partners. (Listen to my keynote podcast).
I’m left inspired by the new ways to collaborate that turn challenges into strengths and excited about the opportunity to develop a shared approach to our work that is intentional, integrated, and impactful.
And, it will only work if we do it together.