Montreal, March 1, 2019 – Over 160 delegates from Canadian colleges, institutes, cegeps and polytechnics met over the past two days for Training and the Labour Market – Always Evolving! Organized jointly by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and the Fédération des cégeps, this important national symposium on continuing education engaged participants in discussions on changes in the labour market and post-secondary education, highlighting strategies and best practices to deal with disruption.
Participants had the opportunity to hear from Quebec’s new Education Minister, Jean-François Roberge, as well as different panels on the role of governments in continuing education, the importance of digital transformation, and work-integrated learning. Thierry Karsenti, Canada Research Chair on information and communication technologies in education, professor at the University of Montreal, and member of the newly appointed Future Skills Council, offered the opening presentation and spoke of the skills students should seek to prepare for the workplace of tomorrow. Closing remarks were given by John Stackhouse, Senior Vice-President, Royal Bank of Canada, and collaborator on the report Humans Wanted: How Canadian youth can thrive in the age of disruption who also shared his observations on potential solutions to the challenges we face.
The innovative approaches identified by the participating leaders from colleges and institutes, the private sector, and government, from across the country, will help post-secondary educators support the needs of the labour market as well as the training needs of a diversified student body with an increasingly wide range of backgrounds.
For more information, please consult the symposium webpage. You may also visit CICan’s website or la Fédération des cégeps.
About Colleges and Institutes Canada:
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is the voice of Canada’s publicly-supported colleges, institutes, cegeps and polytechnics, and an international leader in education for employment with ongoing programs in over 25 countries. CICan’s members add over $190B to Canada’s economy each year and contribute to inclusive economic growth by working with industry and community partners to offer more than 10,000 programs to learners in urban, rural, remote, and northern communities.
About the Fédération des cégeps:
Founded in 1969 to promote education at the college level, the Fédération des cégeps is a voluntary umbrella organization of the 48 public CEGEPs in Quebec. As the CEGEPs’ official spokesperson, the Fédération defends their common interests and represents them on matters of concern to the whole network before government bodies. CEGEPs avail themselves of the services and advice provided by the Fédération in the areas of education, student affairs, international affairs, continuing education and professional development, research and development, information technology, financing, legal matters, human resources, credential assessment, bargaining and labour relations. The Fédération des cégeps represents the CEGEPs in the collective agreement bargaining process.
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For more information:
Julien Abord-Babin
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
jabord-babin@collegesinstitutes.ca
Tel. : 613-746-2222 ext. 3131
Twitter : @CollegeCan
Judith Laurier
Director of Communications
Fédération des cégeps
Judith.Laurier@fedecegeps.qc.ca
Tel. : 514 381-8631 ext. 2337
Twitter : @fedecegeps