Strengthening Canada’s Cybersecurity Workforce: The Mission Critical Role of Polytechnics

With the rise of remote and hybrid work, organizations have increasingly moved to cloud-based servers and become reliant on virtual environments. Data breaches and ransomware attacks that threaten to both tarnish a company’s image and inflict severe financial losses are increasingly common. In today’s environment, the need for robust cybersecurity has never been more apparent.

With these concerns, the demand for cybersecurity professionals has skyrocketed. Organizations increasingly need both in-house talent and the support of dedicated cybersecurity firms. Unfortunately, like many technical industries in Canada, cybersecurity experts are in short supply.

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Canada must ramp up skills for the AI revolution or risk falling behind

Like it or not, the age of artificial intelligence (AI) is upon us. While Canada has every reason to be ahead of the implementation curve, with a highly educated workforce and excellent access to cutting-edge tech, history suggests Canada will be well behind on the path to AI adoption.

How do we break the cycle and become technology leaders?

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2023 in Review: Navigating Canada’s Challenges

As another year comes to an end, it’s time to reflect and set goals for 2024. At Polytechnics Canada, part of this effort will include re-dedicating ourselves to addressing longstanding challenges like climate change, diversity and inclusion, lagging business productivity and skills shortages in critical occupations – areas where it is clear that polytechnic education is already making important contributions.

Here are just a few examples of the significant impact of our members in 2023:

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Adopting clean technology is a skills issue

The urgency of climate change action is no longer theoretical. Worldwide, fires, floods and extreme heat have made it clear that we have a major global challenge on our hands.

Among the solutions, Canada should be all-in on clean technology adoption. While renewables are increasingly viable and tax levers have proven to influence company and consumer behaviour, clean tech offers immediate-term benefits that are critical to achieving climate wins.

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Humber College uses digital twins to make buildings smarter

On a scorching summer day at Toronto’s Humber College, a smart system precools buildings in the early morning to avoid the afternoon spike in electrical rates at peak demand time. Another system turns on lights in rooms only when people are using them. And when the weather is cold, heat pumps have learned to redirect heat from crowded spaces on campus to other buildings that can use some warming.

Since 2014, Humber College facilities have grown by 25 per cent, yet the school’s use of smart controls as well as energy-efficiency initiatives and retrofits has reduced energy use per square foot by more than 20 per cent.

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Polytechnic Alumni Spotlight: Vic Savino, Director of Communications for the Treaty One Nations

At just 32 years old, Vic Savino is the Director of Communications for the Treaty One Nations.

It’s a dynamic role, one that allows him to serve community members from the seven First Nations in Treaty No.1 territory and dive into projects like the development of the Naawi-Oodena urban reserve. Such a prominent director position at age 32 is certainly not the standard. But then, Savino’s life has been anything but.

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Polytechnic Alumni Spotlight: Kandise MacLeod, Radiation Protection Coordinator at Darlington Nuclear Generating Station

Polytechnic institutions offer expert-led, industry-relevant training for high-performance talent. In this Q&A series, graduates from across our member institutions discuss how a polytechnic education helped propel their success in diverse fields.

Polytechnics Canada sat down with Kandise MacLeod, a 2011 graduate of Sheridan’s Welding Techniques program. Kandise is a boilermaker journeyperson and a radiation protection coordinator who holds a key supervisory position at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station with the responsibility of ensuring the safety of her fellow tradespeople in a radiological environment. She is highly skilled in the trades and has taken polytechnic programs and training to build on her expertise as a welder.

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Polytechnic Industry Partner Spotlight: Pioneering New Recycling Technology with Ethey Foods

Polytechnics serve as innovation intermediaries for organizations of all shapes and sizes, providing state-of-the-art facilities, equipment and high-performance talent. Through applied research partnerships, polytechnics support businesses looking to overcome obstacles to growth, realize greater efficiencies, reduce costs and enter new markets. Solutions that emerge from these partnerships also address wider global challenges, such as fighting climate change, creating a more inclusive society and strengthening our healthcare system.

Polytechnics Canada recently connected with Nick Spina, CEO of Ethey Foods, a London-based business working with Fanshawe College. Their applied research partnership has pioneered a new plastic recycling technology that reduces used plastic into either a liquid or powder form which is, in turn, used to create new plastic packaging.

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Polytechnic Alumni Spotlight: Hargurdeep Singh, Vice President of Advanced Manufacturing at CAD MicroSolutions Inc.

Polytechnic graduates use their hands-on, industry-relevant training in a wide variety of in-demand occupations across Canada. In this Q&A series, graduates speak to how they’ve turned their polytechnic education into career success.

Polytechnics Canada sat down with Hargurdeep Singh, a graduate of Sheridan’s Mechanical Engineering Technology – Design and Drafting program. As the Vice President of Advanced Manufacturing at CAD MicroSolutions Inc, he is driving growth and innovation in Canada’s manufacturing sector. During the pandemic, he designed and created 3D printed nasal swabs, face shields and ventilator splitters, developing a made-in-Canada solution to address supply shortages.

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