February 6, 2025

Aurora College will receive an expected $3.2M in government funding over five years to expand and enhance its Personal Support Worker (PSW) Certificate program. Aurora President Dr Angela James said that this funding will allow the college to increase the number of seats in the program and provide more student supports. “This five-year investment is a recognition of the important work that is done every day by Personal Support Workers and the critical need to increase the numbers of qualified Northerners in these roles,” said James. This funding announcement is part of a bilateral agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of Northwest Territories, which includes a $5.3M overall investment to support PSWs in NWT.

Northern Lights College and Community Futures Peace Liard (CFPL) have partnered to coordinate the Government of Canada’s Northeast BC Rural Community Immigration Pilot program. This program involves the creation of a pathway to permanent residence for workers with the aim of making it easier to hire and retain international talent. NLC and CFPL will collaborate to co-lead a working group of community partners with a focus on engaging local employers to boost the area’s immigrant recruitment and retention. “We see so many great international students coming into the region, and this provides a new path for many of them to stay after graduation in the communities where they’ve started to build a new life,” said NLC AVP of Educational Services Scott Clerk.

University faculties of architecture, design, and urbanism play a crucial role in fostering a more inclusive and accessible future for people with disabilities, asserts Carmela Cucuzzella (Université de Montréal) in The Conversation. The author argues that universal accessibility should be considered at the outset of a project when developing or building new infrastructure. As such, future design professionals—that is, students in architecture, urbanism, and other courses—should be engaged in universal accessibility design principles throughout their academic journey. “If every graduate is sensitized to the barriers faced by people living with disabilities, we could begin to see a shift in how our built environments are imagined and constructed by those who design them,” concludes the author.

The University College of the North will receive more than $1.1M from the Government of Canada to expand training and skills development for Indigenous people. UCN will use this funding to increase its train-to-hire programming for Indigenous students at the Northern Manitoba Mining Academy. “This funding will enable UCN to provide relevant, practical training to northern and Indigenous students,” said UCN President Doug Lauvstad. “UCN serves communities from across Manitoba who have to travel for training and this project ensures housing is not a barrier to getting good training leading to great jobs.” This funding is part of a larger $2.3M federal investment focused on skills development for Manitoba’s critical minerals sector.

Cégep Beauce-Appalaches is redeveloping part of its Saint-Georges campus to introduce immersive learning facilities for its pre-hospital care and police techniques programs. The cégep will modernize one of its buildings to include simulator classrooms that reproduce intervention environments—including an apartment, a retail space, and a police station—as well as a practice room with an ambulance and a mezzanine where students can observe the educational simulations. Cégep Beauce-Appalaches directeur des études Jean-Philippe Vachon described how these modifications will allow students to train in a realistic environment. The cégep expects to complete the redevelopment by August.

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology has launched a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) degree program. The program is delivered in a 2+2 format: Students complete a two-year IT diploma before engaging in another two years of studies specializing in either software development or cybersecurity to earn a BTech degree. The program involves hands-on learning, which includes an optional co-op work term to help students build relationships with employers while they study. “The BTech is SAIT’s first degree program offered through the School for Advanced Digital Technology,” said SAIT School for Advanced Digital Technology Dean Cherie Bowker. “The program was designed to prepare students for in-demand careers in some of the most exciting areas of the rapidly evolving technology industry.”

A policy framework published by The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University and CSA Group proposes a new approach to international higher education in Canada. The authors discuss the impact that recent federal policy changes have had on institutional finances, international students, and the country’s overall reputation as a study destination. Drawing on research, roundtable discussions, and interviews with members of the sector, the authors identified opportunities to “renew” Canada’s international education strategy and model. In a report, they outline their findings and provide recommendations related to themes such as bolstering the integrity of recruitment practices, improving international student services, and repairing “Brand Canada.”

Camosun College has received $1M from the developer Highstreet to foster student success, enhance diversity, and promote skilled trades education. With this donation, Camosun will create financial awards for trades students, including bursaries for women in the trades. It will also bolster key skilled trades initiatives, such as high school trades exploration opportunities and trades sampler summer programs. “This donation will not only help to remove barriers for individual students but also contribute to the growth of the skilled trades workforce to meet demand in our region,” said Camosun President Lane Trotter.

The Fondation du Collège d’Alma has launched a three-year, $3M fundraising campaign. The foundation announced the launch of the campaign at a special charity event, where Collège d’Alma inducted five alumni as its first ambassadors. The foundation has already raised more than half of the funds needed for its goal through donations from local industry members. Next, the foundation plans to reach out to alumni, student-athletes, and employees; it will also hold a special golf tournament with all proceeds going to the campaign.

Selkirk College will be making strategic adjustments to address the impact of federal immigration policy changes. Selkirk President Dr Maggie Matear said that the changes will address an anticipated 60-85% reduction in the college’s international student population. Selkirk will be completing a review to determine how it could reduce its overall expenses by $9M, implementing more operational efficiencies, reducing its physical footprint, implementing voluntary workforce reduction programs, and examining opportunities to generate more revenue. “We’re committed to meeting the current challenges in a way that will help strengthen Selkirk College in the long run,” states Matear.