News & Events
After nearly two years of business uncertainty and worldwide economic contraction, employers across sectors are talking about skill shortages again. Job vacancies are at an all-time high only 22 months after millions of Canadians were sidelined by COVID.
Read More > “Post-secondary institutions need to step up to prepare graduates for new realities”
When Red River College changed its name to Red River College Polytechnic this past October, we made a resounding commitment to an education model that acts as a direct link between labour market needs, student talent, and applied research partnerships.
In some ways, the name change was a mere formality. RRC has been a polytechnic for years. However, in another, more critical way, officially calling ourselves a polytechnic signaled a bold step forward – and that’s in our commitment to innovate.
Providing learners with the practical experience and skills to excel in their industry is a key strength of Canada’s polytechnics. In the healthcare field, this applied approach prepares graduates to interact with patients. While restrictions on in-person training have eased over the past few months, safety is still top of mind in Seneca’s labs and classrooms. The challenge now is finding the right balance between hands-on opportunities and using technology to deliver substantive clinical training remotely.
Polytechnics Canada chatted with Sharon Cassar, the Academic Chair for Seneca’s School of Nursing, to find out what this looks like in practice.
Read More > “A new era of healthcare training: the 2021 applied learning model at Seneca”
As Canadian businesses recover from the effects of COVID-19, the productivity and skills gap twins have re-entered the conversation.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Canada continues to have low productivity scores. Our GDP forecast currently sits below the world average, and that gap is projected to increase over time. Meanwhile, disruptions due to technology, changing market demands and environmental, social and governance initiatives create hiring and retraining challenges for businesses.
Polytech institutions may have been left in the shadows but with the increasing need of non-degree education, their role is rapidly evolving. Communities are looking to these schools to help get them back into the workforce and fill the talent pipeline. In this interview, Sarah Watts-Rynard discusses how the role of polytech institutions has change, the movement of microcredentials and how polytechs can be valuable to their community and non-degree education space.
Read More > “The evolving role of polytechnic institutions: Uniting agility and quality”
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations in virtually every sector have needed to adapt and pivot, implementing new practices and technologies to support sustainability and growth. Rapid changes accelerated labour challenges that Canadian companies were facing even before the pandemic, including the urgent need for upskilling and the search for new talent.
Read More > “Work-integrated learning at George Brown College”
When I ask business leaders what keeps them up at night, it is not only about supply chains, inflation, or rising commodity prices. The No. 1 concern is about talent.
Read More > “Polytechnics can help fill Canada’s talent gaps”
It was a year of innovation, collaboration and for one institution, a new name. As I reflect on all that has been accomplished in 2021, it is clear that our members rose to the challenges of the pandemic and, at the same time, actively contributed to efforts to combat climate change, advance Indigenous reconciliation and enable inclusive recovery.
Here are a few highlights that stood out for me:
While COVID-19 has posed – first and foremost – a health emergency, overcoming the broader social impact of the pandemic requires a much broader skillset.
The pandemic has shown that a healthy mix of resilience and innovation are critical to weathering setbacks and obstacles. These traits will be equally essential as Canada reignites its economy and builds for a stronger future.
Read More > “Resilience and innovation skills critical to pandemic recovery”
