The following was submitted by Loyalist College.
Dr. Adrienne Galway, Executive Director of the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT), was joined by Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities, and Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, President and CEO of Humber College, to announce 39 new projects focused on supporting post-secondary learner mobility.
Over the next year, ONCAT is flowing over $2.8 million to support learner mobility projects at 35 colleges, universities, and Indigenous Institutes in Ontario. These projects aim to empower learners by recognizing previous education and professional experiences and facilitating smoother transitions between programs and institutions. At Loyalist College, this funding supports the following project:
Prior Learning and Recognition for Home Support Workers:
Loyalist College is streamlining the process for home support workers to earn their Personal Support Worker (PSW) diploma by recognizing their valuable on-the-job skills and knowledge. By creating a faster and more flexible pathway for experienced workers to obtain college credentials, the project supports a more efficient and responsive education system that addresses urgent labour shortages in our communities.
”Empowering learners with accessible pathways to navigate their educational journey is key to helping them achieve their professional and academic goals,” said Dr. Galway. “The increased funding will promote improved transitions between institutions and programs, helping learners get where they want to go.”
“The Ontario government is proud to support ONCAT’s important work to make it easier for learners of all backgrounds to pursue their educational goals,” said Minister Jill Dunlop. “By facilitating smoother transitions and recognizing the wealth of knowledge gained through previous experience, we are fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment to advance student success in Ontario.”
“PSWs provide essential care to our most vulnerable community members,” said Loyalist College President and CEO Mark Kirkpatrick. “As we continue to see shortages in the PSW profession, Loyalist College is proud to help learners with valuable workplace experience pursue professional credentials and further their careers in the health care workforce. Thank you to ONCAT for supporting this initiative to meet labour demands, remove barriers to education and support community needs.”
In Fall of 2023, ONCAT initiated calls for projects for greater accessibility and impact within the post-secondary sector. This call was met with an unprecedented number of applications from post-secondary institutions, demonstrating a growing interest in supporting greater learner mobility, expanding access to post-secondary opportunities and improving pathways to the labour market.
Established in 2011, the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer plays a pivotal role in supporting learner mobility, working to reduce barriers for students seeking to transfer among the province’s public colleges, universities, and Indigenous Institutes. For more information, visit www.oncat.ca. ONCAT is funded by the Government of Ontario.
