October 27, 2021
The Alberta Government is making moves to make it easier for skilled professionals to move to the province. Bill 49, the
Labour Mobility Act, would make the process of professional credential recognition faster and easier for Canadians who want to move to AB. If passed, the bill will apply to over 100 regulated occupations, including optometrists, engineers, dentists, accountants, and skilled trades. “Now more than ever, we need to remove barriers that prevent the free flow of Canadian talent from bringing their skills and their businesses to Alberta,” said Minister of Labour and Immigration Tyler Shandro.
AB (AB)
The Council of Atlantic Ministers of Education and Training have launched a new resource that will provide tools and strategies to help guide student decisions about postsecondary education and their entry into the labour market. The resource will support youth in exploring their career options through providing information about careers and opportunities in Atlantic Canada. The website includes a section on postsecondary education, which was designed through collaboration with postsecondary career advisers to answer the questions frequently asked by students. It also provides information families can use to guide conversations about the labour market.
NL |
CAMET (Atlantic)
A new report from the Ontario University Athletics Anti-Racism Project has found that Ontario’s university athletics are “overwhelmingly white.” OUA found that white individuals made up over two-thirds of student athletes and over three-quarters of coaches and administrators. The report found that white coaches and administrators often obtained positions without formal interviews or were invited to apply for a position, while racialized coaches were more likely to either be volunteers, seasonal workers, or paid stipends and racialized administrators were more likely to work assistant, part-time, or entry-level positions. The report also found that discriminatory practices may have led to a lack of diversity among student athletes, with a heavy reliance on private schools, clubs, and pay-to-play systems funneling students into university athletics. The report recommends anti-racism training and changes to the recruitment of athletes and coaches.
CBC (CP) (ON)
Students who sign up for a virtual exchange can still receive an experience that allows them to grow personally and develop academically, writes Hiba B Ibrahim, a PhD Candidate at York University. Ibrahim says that virtual exchanges can allow students to develop communication skills and address critical issues while learning about other cultures and engaging in rich discussions. Virtual exchanges also allow students to gain intercultural competence, as students are exposed to the variety of beliefs and values different people hold. Ibrahim explains that students also learn to reflect on communication challenges and identify and investigate factors that may have led to the miscommunication.
The Conversation (Editorial)
The Université du Québec à Montréal has received a $9M government investment to develop a new film studio. The 170-square-metre studio is designed as a black box with a grid on the ceiling from which to hang items such as decorations, lighting, and connections for speakers and lights. In the future, community members will be able to access the facility for activities. The project also includes a soundproofed projection room that can accommodate 120 people and a sound studio. Gaby Hsab, dean of the UQAM Faculté de communication, says that the upgrades will allow UQAM to be at the cutting edge of technology as well as student training.
Journal de Montréal (QC)
In a recent
Globe and Mail article, Dene Moore reports that a higher percentage of mature students have begun to take classes at colleges during the pandemic. Colleges such as Humber College and Centennial College reported an increased interest in areas such as professional learning courses and health-related programming. Other colleges, such as Langara College and the British Columbia Institute of Technology, reported changes in the demographic of mature student that were enrolling. Pablo Vargas, dean of continuing studies at Langara, explained that part of the reason for the changes is that people tend to go through several career changes and that the pandemic gave people an opportunity to “branch out” in their learning.
The Globe and Mail (National)
The Government of Ontario has launched the Learning Inter-Professionally Healthcare Accelerator (LIPHA) to better support nurse and personal support worker (PSW) training. ON has invested $1.2M in the program, which will be accessible to over 40 colleges, universities, and school boards across ON. LIPHA will provide virtual simulation and game-based learning to long-term care providers and students who are training to work as nurses or PSWs. The platform can be used for onboarding, skills refreshing, and upskilling, and will provide training to postsecondary students through simulations and educational resources. “I encourage all … postsecondary education institutions in Ontario to consider adopting LIPHA, as it is a valuable training tool that can provide personalized, on-demand training for students and existing health care professionals,” said ON Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop.
ON (ON)
A new report on international students shows that business and management programs continued to be the most popular in 2021, with one out of five students looking to study abroad choosing courses in these areas.
The PIE News reports that these fields were most popular in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with some interest in Europe. The article notes that business and management programs are often seen as having a clear return on investment for students from lower income areas or as being socially appealing. The report found that there was high program availability in the areas that international students were most interested.
The Pie News (International)
Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business has launched a new partnership between the Centre for Business Venturing (CBV) and Spalyan Education Group that will provide Indigenous communities in British Columbia with business, entrepreneurship, and management training. The partnership will include three programs that will provide 30 First Nations members from the Xeni Gwet’in First Nations Government, Yunetsit’in Government, Tsi Del Del First Nation, ʔEsdilagh First Nation, Tl’etinqox Government and the Tl’esqox First Nation with training in business applications, proposal writing, and Indigenous leadership. Graduates of the programs will receive a Certificate of Completion. “Providing every person with the opportunity to learn and develop is really what matters most, and we are excited to bring six communities together for a collaborative, immersive experience,” said CBV associate director JP Shearer.
Queen’s (ON)
The University of King’s College and the College of the Rockies have launched new work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities for students. U of King’s College has launched the King’s Experiential Learning Program (KELP) program, which will enhance the WIL opportunities available to humanities and journalism students. The program, which is funded by a $100K donation from RBC Foundation, will provide over 100 students with the opportunity to develop their skills, build professional networks, and learn about new career paths. COTR is launching a WIL component that will be implemented in up to 13 programs starting in summer 2022. Students will be able to gain skills and share their knowledge by completing relevant work experiences with local businesses for up to four months.
U of King’s College |
COTR (NS | BC)
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