Resource Topics Education

January 24, 2022

Reflecting on 50 years of growth and the path ahead

By Denise Amyot, President and CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada Fifty years ago, colleges and institutes from across Canada decided to join forces and give themselves the means to speak with one voice at the national level. Though anchored in their communities, they knew they had much to gain by working together and ensuring the college system as a whole could make itself heard. These were, for the most part, very young institutions, most of them just a few years old. Many were created in the sixties or obtained renewed mandates in an effort to make education accessible to... Read more

December 2, 2021

Bird Construction, CICan launch new bursary for Indigenous students with support of Paul and Gerri Charette

Mississauga, ON, Dec. 1, 2021 - Bird Construction Inc. (“Bird”) and Colleges and Institutes Canada (“CICan”), in partnership with Paul and Gerri Charette, are pleased to announce the establishment of the Bird Construction /Paul and Gerri Charette Endowment Fund (“the Fund”). This will ensure the ongoing financing of a brand-new bursary offered to Indigenous students across the country. The Fund has been established to advance reconciliation and empower Indigenous individuals and communities by removing barriers to education for learners, while promoting a culture of respect and inclusion. Thanks to the support of Bird and the Charette, who both provided $100,000... Read more

November 30, 2021

International experience wanted: studies abroad are good for Canada

This joint op-ed with Universities Canada was initially published in the Ottawa Citizen on November 27, 2021. A peculiarity of staying close to home in these pandemic times is that it’s made the world seem smaller. Alone on our screens we’ve seen how connected we are as inhabitants of this planet. We’ve felt the evidence in our own neighbourhoods of global warming and the effects of wildfires thousands of kilometres away. We’ve paid more for food and joined wait lists for electronics triggered by international supply chain issues. And, of course, we’ve watched infection spread from country to country,... Read more

November 24, 2021

Colleges and Institutes Canada reacts to Speech from the Throne

Ottawa, November 24, 2021 – Denise Amyot, President and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada issued the following statement on the Speech from the Throne to open the first session of the 44th Parliament of Canada. “After nearly two years of a pandemic, Canada needs to focus on how it will move forward and rebound. The government expressed this clearly in its Speech from the Throne, which looks towards building a better future.” “The government can count on Canada’s colleges, institutes, CEGEPs and polytechnics to support efforts towards a green, inclusive and resilient recovery. “ “We share many of the... Read more

November 3, 2021

National mobility program makes international learning experiences more accessible to Canadian post-secondary students.

OTTAWA — Thousands of Canadian post-secondary students will soon have access to life-changing international study and work opportunities through the new Global Skills Opportunity program. Officially launched today, this national outbound student mobility program is expected to enable more than 16,000 Canadian college and undergraduate-level university students from across the country acquire the global skills employers want and the Canadian economy needs. The $95 million Global Skills Opportunity program is a key component of the Government of Canada’s International Education Strategy and is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada. Administered jointly by Colleges and Institutes Canada and Universities Canada, the... Read more

October 20, 2021

The role of newcomers and international students in driving Canadian economic growth

The role of newcomers and international students in driving Canadian economic growth Against the background of post-Covid-19 recovery, Canada announced ambitious new immigration targets to meet labour market needsand support ongoing economic prosperity as the population ages and birthrate remains low.A strong pipeline of global talent will be required in the years to come to respond to labour market shortages. This need for talent will, and has already begun to appear, across all sectors with labour shortages in industries as varied as medicine to transportation and food. More rapid integration into community is vital to ensure newcomers settle and integrate... Read more

September 21, 2021

CICan congratulates all new and returning MPs

Ottawa, September 21, 2021 – Denise Amyot, President and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada issued the following statement on Canada’s 44th federal election. “On behalf of colleges and institutes across Canada, I would like to thank all the candidates who took part in this election and offer my sincere congratulations to our 338 new and returning members of Parliament.” “This new Parliament will be tasked with guiding our country through a critical moment as we recover from one of the most important crises in generations. Rebuilding our economy, helping displaced workers get back to work, progressing towards a greener, more sustainable economy,... Read more

September 9, 2021

Colleges and Institutes Canada shares its expertise on competency-based education and training

Ottawa, September 9, 2021 – Competency-based education and training is at the heart of the Canadian system of colleges and institutes, and one of its greatest strengths. Over the last 40-years, these institutions have refined the Competency Based Approach (CBA), and many are now successfully applying it around the world. To help share that expertise, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is launching a comprehensive framework for implementing an approach to support competency-based education and training. This extensive guide offers valuable lessons from Canadian colleges and institutes, while sharing best-practices, which will be especially useful for international counterparts looking to use... Read more

September 1, 2021

Colleges and Institutes Canada to lead the development of a national occupational standard for personal care providers

Ottawa, September 1, 2021 - The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the crucial role front-line health-care workers play in caring for Canadians. At the same time, it has exacerbated and exposed several challenges in the personal care sector, including labour shortages and skills gaps. To address these challenges, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) will be leading the development of a national occupational standard (NOS) for personal care providers (also called personal support workers, health care aides, and other titles). Funded by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program, and part of CICan’s Building Capacity in Long-term Care project, the NOS will... Read more

August 24, 2021

Colleges and institutes to help create new innovative work-integrated learning opportunities with Virtu-WIL

Ottawa, August 24, 2021 – The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on work-integrated learning opportunities in the health care sector, making in-person placements much harder to organize. In order to create more alternatives, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is launching Virtu-WIL, a national initiative that will provide healthcare students in nursing, medical laboratory sciences, and paramedicine with access to new, innovative work-integrated learning opportunities. This one-year pan-Canadian project is made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada, through the Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative. As part of the project, CICan is working with Simulation Canada, and with... Read more