Skills to Access the Green Economy (Guyana) Durham College, in collaboration with College of the North Atlantic and Mohawk College, received one of six Skills to Access the Green Economy (SAGE-04) contracts. This Canadian college consortium supports New Amsterdam Technical Institute, Bina Hill Institute and Essequibo Technical Institute in Guyana in developing industry-responsive and inclusive skills training programs. With a focus on the creation of inclusive academic programs within the renewable energy sector, SAGE aimed addressed the barriers to quality skills training Through our partnership, we provided training of trainers to support capacity enhancement on a variety of aspects related to student success, including curriculum development, student supports, gender mainstreaming to name a few. This five-year initiative, funded by Global Affairs Canada and administered by CICan, aligns with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, empowering girls and women worldwide. Skills to Access the Green Economy (Guyana, Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Jamaica, Belize) The Skills to Access the Green Economy Program (SAGE) is a 5-year initiative by Global Affairs Canada and Colleges and Institutes Canada. It aims to develop a skilled workforce for climate-related sectors in Guyana, Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Jamaica, and Belize. SAGE 08 focuses on enhancing training institutions’ capacity to deliver gender-sensitive online and blended programs; alleviating barriers to women and vulnerable youth face in accessing quality education. Empowering through Skills Program (Tanzania) Durham College, in collaboration with Sault College and Centennial College, is the project lead for one of six Empowerment through Skills Program projects in Tanzania. Funded by Global Affairs Canada and administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada, the program aims to enhance education pathways for women and girls, improving access to employment and entrepreneurship. Initiatives include labour market analysis, awareness campaigns, industry partnerships, teacher training, new equipment, and short programs in business, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and agriculture. Kenya Since 2017, Durham College has partnered with Kenyan TVET institutions on over eight projects, enhancing leadership, teacher training, industry partnerships, and student success. Faculty have provided training in TVET leadership, market-driven curriculum, entrepreneurship, applied learning, student services, and recruitment. Notable projects include a national Competency Based Education and Training initiative with the Kenya School of TVET and new electrical and solar programs at Maasai Mara Technical Vocational College. These collaborations emphasize applied learning and sustainable industry linkages, aligning graduate skills with employer needs and fostering employment. Kenya Blue Economy Skills Training (KBEST) The Kenya Blue Economy Skills Training (KBEST) program aims to enhance local institutional capacity to deliver gender-responsive skills training programs in the Blue Economy (BE) sector, aligning with the specific needs of the Kenyan industry. It focuses on providing targeted training for women, youth, and vulnerable populations in high-potential fields and subsectors of the blue economy, with an emphasis on both formal employment and self-employment opportunities. Kenyan Education for Employment (KEFEP) The Kenyan Education for Employment (KEFEP) initiative supported Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) reforms in Kenya, aiming to create a robust, demand-driven, and industry-responsive training system. Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) sought to bridge the skills gap in Kenya’s key sectors by enhancing curricula quality, lecturer skills, and training infrastructure. This initiative targets increased employment opportunities for Kenyans, especially youth, in growing industries like agriculture and energy, focusing on marginalized populations in northern, drought-prone areas. Young Africa Works-Kenya: Youth Employability through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (YAW-K) The Young Africa Works-Kenya (YAW-K) project aims to improve TVET institutions in Kenya by fostering partnerships with Canadian institutions to develop Centres of Excellence. It focuses on increasing youth participation, especially among women, in market-relevant skills training, leading to employment. Key components include competency-based curriculum development, training of trainers, prior learning assessment, life skills/employability curricula, and work placements. The project also emphasizes creating safe learning spaces to boost young women’s participation in training programs. Guyana In response to the growing needs of Guyana’s auto industry, which has seen a significant increase in the number of cars with new electronic systems, DC, in partnership with College of the North Atlantic (CNA) and the Fisheries and Marine Institute of the Memorial University of Newfoundland worked with the Government Technical Institute, a vocational institute in Georgetown, Guyana. Together they developed a new, labour-responsive Automotive Electronics Technician program. The three-year project was conducted in conjunction with Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and funded by Global Affairs Canada. Through extensive consultation and collaboration, the partnership has achieved great success. This includes supporting local partners in modernizing their automotive curriculum through industry engagement and faculty technical skills development; supporting GTI in building sustainable relationships with internal and external stakeholders; and focusing on building the leadership skills of the female-headed management team, including the drafting and implementation of their institutional strategic plan. Pacific Alliance Education for Employment (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru) Durham College, Vancouver Island University, and Fanshawe College collaborated on a ministerial level, thematic project of the Pacific Alliance Education for Employment program. Focused on shifting negative perceptions of TVET pathways and the extractive sectors, the partnership worked with the four countries to develop and launch national marketing campaigns in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. Experts from the Ministries of Education and Canadian colleges provided technical training and created multimedia content with testimonials from various stakeholders. Funded by Global Affairs Canada and managed by Colleges and Institutes Canada, the program surpassed the campaigns targeted reach, promoted gender equality, and resulted in cross-ministerial sharing of best practices. Skills for the Future (Barbados) Durham College led a Leadership Development and Change Management Project in Barbados’ education system, part of the Skills for the Future Program funded by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Government of Barbados. The project aimed to enhance secondary education and TVET by developing transformational leadership skills. DC trained 25 mid-level managers in competency-based teaching, recruitment, quality assurance, curriculum development, and industry engagement. A key success was creating communities of practice among stakeholders, fostering long-term relationships, continuous learning, and problem-solving, thus strengthening future leadership in Barbados’ education system. Peru To respond to Peru’s booming culinary, hotel, and tourism industries, DC partnered with a TVET institution in Trujillo to implement innovative culinary and teaching practices. By involving local industry leaders, DC ensured graduates receive market-aligned education. This collaboration established integrated work-learning opportunities for students and ongoing skills upgrades for faculty. Additionally, DC supported the partner in adopting a ‘field-to-fork’ approach with an urban garden, integrating environmental sustainability into the curriculum. The institutions restaurant, El Señorial, now incorporates the daily harvest into its menu. Skills for Employment (Vietnam) Under a 4-year partnership administered by Agriteam Canada Inc, DC co-developed locally relevant curriculum for Hau Giang Community College (HGCC), in Vietnam, DC leveraged its Food and Pharmaceutical industry expertise to conduct capacity-building workshops, enhancing HGCC’s program development. This included competency-based teaching, learning practices, and technical skills training. The project also focused on student recruitment, retention, improving access for marginalized groups, and fostering industry relationships. This partnership was part of the Skills for Employment initiative was funded by Global Affairs Canada, and included partnerships with Niagara College and College of the North Atlantic.
International
International
International