Our Members

Algonquin College is excited to announce a significant expansion of the Welding Shop in the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence. Thanks to a $315,000 donation from the Canerector Foundation, the Welding Shop has integrated modern technologies that will help learners meet rising industry demands for highly skilled graduates. The expansion of the Welding Shop will improve its layout, provide it with additional space and equip it with two new advanced tools: a robotic welder and a CNC plasma table. These additions reflect industry trends and elevate the academic experience of apprentices and learners from various academic programs. This will equip them with skills and knowledge they could not gain through manual training alone, which will enhance their job readiness.

RRC Polytech is now set to help even more students build a brighter future in the skilled trades, thanks to a $1.25-million gift from Qualico, announced at the College’s Notre Dame Campus. The gift expands capacity in RRC Polytech’s Introduction to Trades program, in which Indigenous learners can build specialized skills and gain direct entry into the College trades program of their choice. The gift also supports the creation of a new Navigator position — a role that helps to increase student participation and wrap-around supports. Qualico’s gift provides additional support to RRC Polytech’s School of Skilled Trades and Technologies and to the creation of 10 annual awards for Construction Trades students — at $5,000 each, one of the largest available for skilled trades students.

Conestoga is among four post-secondary institutions receiving funding from the Government of Ontario to launch an accelerated registered nursing degree program to allow nurses to enter the workforce sooner. The province is investing $2 million into four post-secondary institutions, each receiving up to $500,000 to support the development and implementation of the accelerated nursing program, beginning in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years. The accelerated degree program will allow registered nursing students to complete their undergraduate program within 3 to 3.5 years instead of 4. The funding is part of $4.2 million earmarked to expand nursing education across the province to improve access to care by ensuring more nurses are ready to work in communities across Ontario.