OFFICIAL MAGAZINE AND DIRECTORY OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CAREER COLLEGES CAREER125 YEARS training grads CONNECTIONS who make a 2021 difference How education is evolving On the pandemic Finding your front line right fit NOW IS THE TIME. Get on the fast track to a career that you love ONTARIO ATLANTIC ANYWHERE ONLINE triOS.com easterncollege.ca easterncollege.ca/online Contents A distinguished history 4 Delivering quality education COVER Setting students up 5 for success Education evolving to meet Canada’s future skills needs Finding the right fit 8 The path tO pursue your passion and 13 build a rewarding career Campus Exploration A pathway to success 10 Toronto School of Management 20 Institutions working together to help tackles IT skills shortage international students master English PSWs are heroes on the pandemic 125 years of connecting talent front line 13 with opportunity 22 NACC members on the investment HSWs tackling Canada’s care crisis value of a quality education 24 at home Chef Thomas Naylor 28 ‘There’s no luck in this industry’ Nurse Natasha Cameron 30 ‘So much opportunity’ MPP Monte McNaughton 31 champions career training 34 Directory of Career Colleges Career Connections 2021 [ 3 ] CAREER CONNECTIONS Published for: A distinguished National Association of Career Colleges 99 – 4338 Innes Road Ottawa, ON history K4A 3W3 Tel 613-800-0340 Delivering quality education Email [email protected] Website www.nacc.ca n 1896, 125 years ago, a group of private educators formed the “Business Educators Association.” That group is today known as the National JP Roszell IAssociation of Career Colleges, with 450 member schools spread across Chief Executive Officer the country. Two of the original member schools, dating back to 1866 and [email protected] 1885, are still training and graduating students today! Career Connections is As the CEO of the National Association of Career Colleges in this, our published by Great River 125th year, it is a distinct honor and privilege to welcome you to this very special edition of Career Connections Magazine. Within the pages of this magazine, Media. This publication you will find stories from schools across Canada, attestations from generations contains information of successful graduates, and details about the hundreds of courses, diplomas considered accurate and certificates available from a member college near you. You will learn why at the time of printing. thousands of people just like you decide every year to change their lives by However, the publisher is choosing to attend one of our member colleges. not responsible for any Thank you. errors or omissions that may occur. Reproduction JP ROSZELL in any form is prohibited CEO of the National Association without the written of Career Colleges permission of the publisher. Editor Leo Valiquette Graphic Designer Regan Van Dusen Published by PO Box 91585 Ottawa ON K1W 1K0 Tel 613-238-1818 [ 4 ] www.nacc.ca COVER Setting students up for success How education BY LEO VALIQUETTE t’s been said by many observers over the past year that the pandemic continues to evolve isn’t creating change so much as accelerating the catalysts for change Ithat were already in play. Post-secondary education is one of those sectors of the economy where to meet Canada’s this is readily apparent. From online learning to developing curricula and modes of teaching that are more responsive to a student’s life and work future skills needs situation, progressive institutions were adapting to a new reality well before the pandemic. This is particularly true of Canada’s private career colleges. By their very nature, career colleges have always embraced change. Constant adaption is central to their mandates to produce graduates with the job-ready skills that are in demand. We sat down with Holly McKnight, Director of Education for the National Association of Career Colleges (NACC), to discuss how post- secondary education is and must continue to evolve to meet Canada’s future skills needs. Career Connections 2021 [ 5 ] COVERSECTION HEADS The student’s success is first on the list and that means graduating and Q: The majority of programs offered at a walking across the stage.” career college include a practicum place- ment that provides critical real-world experience and can easily lead to a job offer. How have pandemic safety measures impacted such placements and what are an analysis from a subject matter expert, this issues and the session is still available for some examples of adaptation by colleges proposal was approved in June 2020. purchase. I think we have learned that a hybrid and employers? This is specifically for the duration of the method of delivery, combining both online pandemic, so we anticipate things going back and in-person training, is really helpful and McKnight: Depending on the program, to normal at some point, but we were very brings balance to the learning experience. It this past year has certainly had a major pleased with the solution at a time when also reinforces learning, which is critical to a impact on most practicum placements. It PSWs are in such high demand. student’s success, and we want to set students was, however, very exciting to see the key up for success. stakeholders work together to problem Q: Hybrid learning involving in-person solve so students would be able to continue and online options was becoming more Q: From a career college’s perspective, their studies. commonplace before the pandemic and what are some key arguments still in favour As an example, the NACC Personal then online of course became critical. As of in-person learning as the preferred ap- Support Worker program requires students to we adjust to a new normal, do you expect proach? complete two placements, one in a long-term online options will be more common and care facility and the other in a community in demand than before the pandemic? McKnight: There are portions of all setting. In the spring of 2020, NACC NACC programs that require in-person approached Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges McKnight: Yes, definitely. There is a lot learning, such as lab demonstrations, and and Universities with a proposal to require one of debate about this topic and the qual- these are not done in a practicum – they are practicum for the full number of hours. With ity of learning, and I believe we need to typically completed at the college campus. take advantage of the learning from this It is critically important that an instructor situation and seize the opportunity. We can watch a student perform certain skills have already heard from many colleges that prior to going out to practicum, for their there will be ongoing interest and demand own safety and that of their patients and for online learning after the pandemic is clients. resolved. What is going to set colleges and This also really supports a student in building programs apart is how well programs are their confidence. They receive confirmation delivered online. from their instructor that they are doing it well or get feedback about how they could improve Q: What would you say are some of the and then when they go out on practicum, they key lessons that have been learned through feel competent for the job. the pandemic on how best to integrate on- line learning into programs of study that Q: What else comes to mind about how are highly practical and hands-on? the relationship between career colleges and industry/employers has changed or McKnight: Students miss the must change to ensure programs continue camaraderie of being in a class to align with labour market needs, post with their peers and this is a pandemic? major concern when we are all required to stay apart and stay McKnight: It is somewhat difficult to home. If instructors are creative, predict this one because requirements engaging and skilled at online de- are continuing to change as the situation livery, students can feel very much evolves in different jurisdictions across the involved in the online classroom. country. We at NACC are making every During our annual Instructor effort to stay abreast of these ongoing Development Day, we had some changes and communicate to our mem- amazing speakers address all of these ber colleges about how we are supporting them. Holly McKnight, Director of Education, NACC [ 6 ] www.nacc.ca SECTION COVERHEADS There will be ongoing interest and demand for online learning after the pandemic is resolved.” College staff are interfacing with industry the student can work full-time and stay Q: How else do you see the pandemic on a regular basis, and they are keeping us because it is such a critically important impacting post-secondary education? informed of the challenges for industry, so contract they are working on and they need keeping the lines of communication open with the student to start before they graduate. McKnight: We are already seeing a pat- all stakeholders is imperative. This is very exciting for the student, but tern similar to what we have experienced they sometimes lose sight of the fact that they in the past with any kind of economic Q: We have talked before about situa- just spent two years and a lot of money to downturn or recession – a surge in demand tions where an employer is eager to hire complete a diploma program that they will for adult education. People who have found a student before their course of study is have forever versus a job and employer which themselves out of work must retrain to find complete. Why is it important for a student may not be forever. I have no problem with a another job.