Canadore College Leading Indigenous Research Projects
Jun 13, 2016
(NORTH BAY, ONT.) – Earlier today, the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) announced funding and official launch of two projects focused on Indigenous education.
Canadore College will serve as the research lead with project partners, the First Nations Technical Institute and Seven Generations Education Institute, to explore and analyze Indigenous-focused programming and mobility across the province of Ontario with ONCAT’s contribution of nearly $200,000.
“We are pleased to support Canadore College in collaboration with the First Nation’s Technical Institute, the Seven Generations Education Institute and other institutional partners for the funding of these two projects,” said Lia Quickert, acting executive director of ONCAT. “These projects will not only explore ways to build additional pathways but, more importantly, expand educational opportunities for Indigenous students.”
The first project aims to gather complete and current Indigenous program offerings in communities, Aboriginal institutes, colleges and universities across Ontario and will be followed by a mapping exercise of the mobility and transfer options for the inventory of Indigenous-specific and non-related programs.
Conducted in parallel with the first project, the second initiative has the purpose of developing two multi-entry and laddered pathways into postsecondary in health and business programs. Through information garnered via environmental scans, community engagement sessions and inventory of First Nations, Métis and Inuit region job profiles, relevant program options that build multi-entry and exit pathways will be identified.
“This funding is critical to addressing the calls to action made in by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with regards to educational and employment gaps,” said Jeannette Miron, registrar and manager of institutional research at Canadore College. “These pathways are being developed using a consultative approach and with direct First Nations engagement to make certain that outcomes support the needs of their communities.”
The combination of these two initiatives will enhance Indigenous programming knowledge in the province of Ontario, identify mobility gaps for students within these programs and provide the foundation to reverse existing inequities. The results will allow Indigenous students with greater choices in skills training, apprenticeship, certificate, diploma, degree or graduate study entry and exit points that are meaningful to their employment goals and career stages.
Canadore trains people through applied learning, leadership and innovation. It provides access to over 65 full-time quality programs and has outstanding faculty and student services. The College and its students add nearly $290 million to the regions of Nipissing and Parry Sound. Approximately 1,000 students graduate from Canadore each year, and they join 43,000 alumni working across the globe.