Education | August 2019

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019

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U OF M EXTENDED EDUCATION LEARN BUSINESS ANALYSIS ONLINE New Extended Education program starts in September

No matter where you work or what your current job may be, chances are very good you are already doing some business analysis. Now you can learn how to focus on the right things and use the right strategies to do it like the professionals with Extended Education’s Business Analysis certificate program, offered entirely online. When an organization has a problem or challenge, the defined process for asking why and determining what to do is called business analysis. By definition, a business analyst (BA) is someone who performs the tasks of business analysis as defined in the Business Analysis Book of Knowledge (BABOK 3 is the latest version), the textbook for the Extended Education Business Analysis program at the University of Manitoba. According to the federal government’s Canadian

Occupational Projection System, Business Analysis is one of the top 10 occupations with the largest number of job openings, from 2017 to 2026. The Extended Education program was developed to meet this incredible demand in Manitoba, Canada, and beyond. A huge demand “The local demand is huge,” says Kevin Haines, CBAP, President of the Winnipeg Chapter of the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), the recognized professional and accrediting organization for business analysis. Extended Education is an IIBA endorsed education provider. “Online Business Systems has the most certified business analysts in town. Consulting companies are always hiring to keep up with demand.” Prospects for careers in business analysis are great, says James Fatoki, CBAP and Consultant for the Business Analysis program. “You take your knowledge and experience, layer the program on top, and get to work. The beauty of it is there are so many industries you can plug into. None of your previous knowledge is wasted. I have worked in many industries from financial to insurance and government. There is a good demand out there.” Every organization needs a business analyst, and everyone is looking for a good one, says Maureen McVey, Ottawa area-based CBAP and Consultant for the Business Analysis program. A

business analyst since before the role was defined in the BABOK and as commonly recognized as it is today, McVey was among the international professionals who founded IIBA. Managing change “Business Analysts are agile professionals who help organizations keep pace with the rapidly evolving world of the 21st century by identifying the responsive changes necessary for them to flourish,” says Paul Jenkins, Manager, Delivery, Extended Education. “Their skill set and expertise give them the ability to identify problems and recommend solutions often based in technology, but that also involve changes in business strategies, processes, and policies.” Change is happening “With the rapid pace of business evolution, there are always new challenges to meet, and we need people to facilitate the change that needs to happen,” says Haines. “A significant majority of CEOs recognize the important need to foster a culture of innovation, respond quickly to technological opportunities and invest in new processes, as only those companies and industries accepting the challenge to transform themselves will be more competitive, gain efficiency and ensure the loyalty of customers.” Fatoki adds, “Defining issues and problems is critical, whether a business accepts it or not. Without proper business analysis, it simply

becomes trial and error. Companies will spend money, suffer financial losses, and lose ground in a competitive market.” Professional connections Business Analysis students pursue professional certification and make professional connections through the IIBA. The IIBA Winnipeg Chapter was the first chapter, founded at the same time as the organization itself. The Winnipeg chapter is one of over 120 chapters in over 40 countries. With the IIBA, there are three levels of professional certification. Students in the Business Analysis program can start to work towards achieving the first level, Entry Certificate in business analysis (ECBA), during their studies. No organization can do without the business analysis skill set, says McVey. It’s something that can be developed, building on your education and experience. The program is a good start. The demand for business analysts is very strong, Haines says. “The IIBA helps to support those taking certifications and to provide the network to meet other analysts, mentors and employers. We are very excited that the U of M is providing a great option to learn the hard and soft skills of business analysis as we grow our local, Canadian and global communities.” Learn more about this online program.

UMExtended.ca/Business-Analysis

Keep learning. Register now for September courses.

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The Red River College graduation powwow in May saw the largest turnout in its 19-year history and graduation rates among Indigenous students at the college are on the upswing. The one-year American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Studies certificate program that launches this fall will be fully located at Red River and is meant to give a general introduction to ASL. Red River College photos

RED RIVER COLLEGE SUPPORTS DRIVE STUDENT SUCCESS By Neil Coligan for the Free Press

Red River College’s School of Indigenous Education is in a unique position as it prepares to mark 25 years this fall. While a quarter century has nearly gone by, the year just past felt like a new beginning. For instance, a graduation powwow held in May saw the largest turnout in its 19- year history. Graduation rates among Indigenous students at Red River College are also on the upswing. A few years ago, the average graduation rate for Indigenous students at RRC was averaging less than 50 per cent. In some programs the success rate was only a single digit percentage. The School of Indigenous Education credits the turnaround to how it recently changed the way students are supported outside the classroom. “We’re seeing a 79 per cent graduation rate with the students who’ve had the financial and wrap around supports that we’ve created,” says Executive Director of Indigenous Strategy Rebecca Chartrand.

Chartrand says those wrap around supports include what are known as “navigators,” staff who help Indigenous students with living in an urban setting. This is especially important for students coming to Winnipeg from remote communities and reserves. “This includes finding housing, finding daycare, getting around with transit, how to set up a bank account,” she says. Along with two navigator positions dealing with these matters, Chartrand says there are also two wellness advisers and a wellness counsellor. “We’re looking at those things that really interrupt learning for students, so whether it’s crisis or family obligations we want to ensure our students have somebody to work through those issues with them or at least help them create a plan,” says Chartrand. Red River College is one of nine post- secondary institutions that signed on to the Manitoba Indigenous Education Blueprint. This means it is working towards implementing the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Along with creating a position to oversee those actions, Red River College has built a sweat lodge at the Notre Dame Campus in Winnipeg and created language courses in Cree and Ojibwe. “We’re living in an era of truth and reconciliation and a lot of that comes with understanding the history that created barriers for indigenous students,” says Chartrand.

“We’re really working hard to create wrap around supports that are holistic, that are connected to Indigenous ways of teaching and learning, but also wellness to ensure that our students are achieving wellness as much as academic success,” she says. To learn more about Red River College’s School of Indigenous Education, visit rrc.ca/ Indigenous. Sign of the times Language, history and culture are also at the core of Red River College’s ASL and Deaf Studies (ADSP) certificate program and this fall it begins a new era. Starting in September students in ADSP will no longer have to split their time between Red River College and the University of Manitoba. They also won’t be required to have previous certification in studies related to ASL (American Sign Language). Program Co-ordinator Rick Zimmer (who is deaf himself) says these changes are the result of a long history of developing deaf education and sign language in Manitoba. “The program was established back in the late ’70s,” says Zimmer, “It was just a two- week summer program to offer students some understanding of ASL interpretation.” That initial program evolved into 10 months, and then after a decade into a two-year program to teach ASL interpreters. Red River College’s

involvement with the University of Manitoba came a few years later when it was realized there was a need for further studies to fully train students to a professional standard. Zimmer says the one-year ASL and Deaf Studies certificate program that launches this fall will be fully located at Red River and is meant to give a general introduction to ASL. He says it doesn’t assume a student will become a professional interpreter, which means it can be taken by anyone — such as a family member or medical professional who simply wants to learn more about the history of the deaf community and how ASL has developed over its two centuries of usage. “People may assume our language is a fairly standard, simple and basic, but we need to realize American Sign Language is just as complex and intricate as any language spoken or signed,” says Zimmer. Zimmer says anyone who wants to become a professional ASL interpreter will still have to take a two-year ASL-English Interpretation program (AEIP) co-offered by Red River College and the University of Manitoba. It must be noted that this fall’s launch of RRC’s revamped ASL and Deaf Studies certificate program is full at 20 students and with a waiting list already started. Further information on the Red River College program can be found online at catalogue.rrc. ca/Programs/WPG/Fulltime/ASLDF-CT. ❚

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Canadian Mennonite University is preparing to welcome students for a second year of “W” courses, all of which are designed to develop students’ writing skills. CMU photos

CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY EDUCATING FOR THE ‘W’ By Geoff Kirbyson for the Free Press

There are also non-“W” versions of these courses. While there are more tests in a non- “W” version of a course and more writing in the “W” class, the latter isn’t ignoring the curriculum but is instead engaging and interacting with the course work with people outside a classroom, he said. “The classes are meant to draw you into writing in a real way. The work (students) do will come in drafts and they’ll get feedback from peers and professors and, depending on the class size, from writing fellows, which are upper-level undergraduate students we train in

measuring so CMU accumulated data during the previous winter term by surveying students who took the “W” courses and also gathered the first item they wrote in the class as well as the last one. “We found students really understood these courses as improving their academic writing. They felt they were engaging deeply with the course content and valued most feedback on their writing. When we looked at their work, we saw their writing improving at all levels,” he said. Despite the increased use of acronyms in

Canadian Mennonite University is taking a page out of the books of some of the most prestigious schools in the world with its latest academic offering. The post-secondary institution is preparing to welcome students for a second year of “W” courses, all of which are designed to develop and fine-tune students’ writing skills. Winnipeg-based CMU has always been a writing-intensive school, according to Jonathan Dueck, its academic dean, but it started to shift a couple of years ago towards a new model of “W” courses, in line with what’s being done at a number of high-profile schools in the U.S., including Duke University, George Washington University, Harvard and Princeton. “Writing for us is real. It’s not an exercise. We learn best when doing something real. (Our

students) are writing for a real audience. When you write for different audiences, you write in different ways,” Dueck said. “What we’ve done is design courses to engage students in the way professors really write and give them a chance to interact with as close to a real audience as they can and revise their work for that audience so they have practice. Feedback is really helpful in writing when it’s provided and you have to use it.” After running 14 “W” courses during the 2018- 19 academic year, CMU will offer a dozen this September across a wide variety of disciplines, including business, biology, music, English, philosophy, theology and psychology. “In biology, you don’t write the same way as you do in English. The students are improving in their thinking and argument and in clarity, correctness and citations,” he said. A lot of post-secondary courses provide feedback at the end of a term, which tends to be far less impactful than if it’s done on an ongoing basis, he said. Dueck knows of a writing program at the University of Toronto but he’s not aware of other course work in Canada where the discipline of writing is taught by professors with PhDs.

“Writing for us is real. It’s not an exercise. We learn best when doing something real. (Our students) are writing for a real audience. When you write for different audiences, you write in different ways.”

the writing in the disciplines,” he said. A good example of the benefits of focusing on writing for a specific audience was a “W” course in music theory last year. The students not only wrote papers but they also wrote their own musical pieces using the same skills to revise musical notes and words on a page. If something is worth doing it’s worth

many forms of communication today, including texting and social media, Dueck said people of all ages, but particularly young people, are very aware of their audiences when they post something online. “The shift to digital media isn’t destroying writing,” he said. For more information, visit cmu.ca. ❚

Close friends on a cozy campus. Small classes where you get to know your professors. Genuine research opportunities. A 15-minute commute — if you walk. Real-world experience with a supportive co-op program. Small steps today that lead to big things tomorrow. Try Brandon University on for size. Find big success in small groups

BrandonU.ca

4 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019

Cory Aronec Photography

THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG PREPARING FOR IMPACT Work-integrated learning gives students experience for career success

At The University of Winnipeg, students arrive with diverse, untapped talents and emerge as leaders, well-prepared to make an impact in their field. One of the ways UWinnipeg prepares students for success is through opportunities to learn outside the classroom — by participating in internships, volunteer and co-op placements, and research projects that support local businesses, government and not-for-profit organizations. These opportunities let students develop their skills and knowledge in a way that complements their educational experience. For example, outreach programs such as Let’s Talk Science have a huge impact on the students involved and the communities they serve. UWinnipeg’s volunteer team has been nationally recognized for its work in Manitoba and across the country, sending university students as far afield as Hall Beach, Nunavut, and Churchill so they can mentor elementary school students and inspire educators. “We are proud to provide students in remote, rural communities with the opportunity to learn how rewarding it is to study science, technology, engineering and math,” said biochemistry and neuroscience honours student, Chelsea Lukawy, after taking part in a week-long Let’s Talk Science outreach

applied computer science students to combine their academic studies with relevant work experience. Business and applied computer science student Nicole Van Hove said the co-op program offers students more than just work experience. Career preparation activities such as mock interviews and networking opportunities helped her secure a position as a student software developer at Richardson International. “Co-op really appealed to me because when you graduate you can say you have specific work experiences when you’re applying for jobs,” she said. UWinnipeg’s Learning Service Program gives Bachelor of Education students the opportunity to combine in-class learning with eight weeks of service at a community- based education agency. “It opens the doors for students to discover opportunities and develop a bank of experience for when they graduate,” said program co-ordinator Mark Kuly. “The feedback we get from schools is UWinnipeg students are adept at moving into the classroom because they have more contact hours in the community than others do.” Another example of students combining academic credit with on-the-job experience is UWinnipeg’s innovative YouthUnited@ Winnnipeg program, where students spend 15 weeks working with community groups in Winnipeg’s North End. The course, based on principles of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, was created in partnership with the City of Winnipeg, initiated by city councillor for St. Vital, Brian Mayes, and designed at The University of Winnipeg by Dr. Shauna MacKinnon, Chair of Urban and Inner- City Studies

“I learned an enormous amount of useful skills for future jobs, and working in the inner city was a wonderful, eye-opening experience,” said Riley Black, a political studies honours student who took part in the program in 2018. UWinnipeg students also have many opportunities to take part in hands-on research. While studying toward her Bachelor of Science (Honours) in biology, Breanna Meek worked closely with Dr. Renée Douville on a project studying how our genes may code for a viral protein that can cause DNA damage. This research is part of a larger study developing new treatment options for ALS, a neurodegenerative disease which currently affects between 2,500 and 3,000 adult Canadians. “The skills I’ve gained working in Dr. Douville’s lab have given me a taste of what the research field is like, inspiring my future career choices.” said Meek who plans to complete a Master of Science in Bioscience, Technology and Public Policy before pursuing a career in health sciences research. Nearly 50 per cent of UWinnipeg students currently benefit from work-integrated learning during their studies. Plans are underway to develop even more partnerships with employers and ultimately offer such opportunities to all of the University’s students — providing valuable experiences to put the theories they’ve learned in the classroom into practice. When students get the chance to connect with employers and solve real-world problems, it not only prepares them for career success, it helps Manitoba thrive in a changing global economy. Learn more about UWinnipeg programs at uwinnipeg.ca ❚

“It opens the doors for students to discover opportunities and develop a bank

of experience for when they graduate.”

in Churchill. UWinnipeg’s

Co-operative Education Program allows business, economics and

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019 5

The University of Manitoba is hoping to better help first-year university students adjust to campus life with a series of new programs. University of Manitoba photos

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA A WELCOMING EXPERIENCE New orientation initiatives connect students with their campus

By Jim Timlick for the Free Press

Adjusting to campus life can be a challenging experience for many first-year university students. The University of Manitoba is hoping to make that experience a little less challenging with a series of new programs it is introducing this summer. The initiatives follow a recent review undertaken by U of M administrators to determine how to enhance the existing orientation services that were already being delivered to new students. “In the past we had orientation as one day,” says Ali Wood-Warren, co-ordinator of the U of M’s First Year Centre. “What we realized is that orientation is not so much an event as it is a process. “What we want is for students to become more comfortable on campus. We want them to feel they are part of the campus and that it’s not ‘the’ campus, it’s their campus.” One of the new undertakings is What’s Next?. The first in a series of UM Orientation events, the initial session took place June 1 and offered students and their families an opportunity to explore the U of M campus and learn more about registration requirements, financial aid options and other resources. Wood-Warren says What’s Next? offers a more comprehensive approach to helping students settle into university life than the Head Start program it replaces. “We’ve opened it up to be more of a general session rather than just meeting the folks who run the programs. It’s an opportunity for students to see how things fit together,” she adds. In addition, the university is now offering two new workshops for first-year students during the month of July: Career Choices and Get Ready to Register. Career Choices is designed to help students begin thinking about possible careers and learn what academic resources are available to help them make the right vocational choices. Get Ready to Register provides help with scheduling courses, using the Aurora registration system and developing better time-management skills. “What we’ve tried to do is simplify (registration) for students so they can be confident they’ve selected the right courses and the right number of courses and are headed in the right direction,” Wood-Warren says. Another new offering for first-year students is the

Making the Grade! event. It’s open to all U of M students registered to attend classes in the fall and is aimed at helping them make the transition from high school to university. It offers tips on everything from getting a student card and activating an Active Living Centre membership to how to use the libraries and make the best use of classroom time. As part of UM Orientation 2019, students were able take part in Summer University Advantage beginning in July. The program offers students an opportunity to get a jump start on their academic studies by taking part in the first-year Introduction to University course. “What students study in the course is basically how to learn. It helps students understand how we learn and how we take knowledge in,” Wood-Warren says. New students will also be able to learn how to write academic papers and develop successful study skills as part of a pair of academic prep boot camps slated for Aug. 29. Transitioning to university life can be even more challenging for people studying in a new country. To help make that process a little easier, the U of M’s International Centre will host a pair of orientation sessions for international students on Aug. 27 and 28. The sessions will provide students with information on how to get settled in Winnipeg, cultural differences in an educational setting and knowing their academic rights and responsibilities. To supplement the various in-person sessions, the university recently launched UM Essentials. It’s an online guide on how to achieve success as a new U of M student through a series of modules that focus on a range of subjects including how to engage in the community, preparing for a future career, diversity on campus and academic integrity. Students are automatically enrolled in the course and receive a certificate upon completing it. One orientation program that will be back for another year is Welcome Day. This year’s event will take place Sept. 3. It’s a chance for new students to connect with each other and familiarize themselves with campus before the first day of classes. It includes the All About U Expo, which highlights many of the services and resources available at the school. Wood-Warren says the focus of the day has shifted slightly this year, as much of what it used to offer is now available online through the UM Essentials program. For more information, visit Umanitoba.ca/ orientation. ❚

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The new, two-year pharmacy technician diploma program at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology will be the first of its kind in the province. Photo by Jason Halstead

MANITOBA INSTITUTE OF TRADES & TECHNOLOGY

MITT SET TO LAUNCH NEW PHARMACY TECH PROGRAM By Jennifer McFee for the Free Press

A new, two-year pharmacy technician diploma program is about to launch at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology. When it replaces MITT’s long-running Pharmacy Technician certificate program in fall 2020, it will become the first of its kind in Manitoba. Lead instructor Jennifer Buffie outlines some of the benefits of the change. “In that expansion, we increase our simulation component and our hands-on activities by about 40 per cent in terms of time, so there’s a lot more for our graduates,” she said. “We’ll be one of the first in Canada to be accredited under the new standards of our accrediting body and the only program in Manitoba accredited under the new standards.” Applications are currently being accepted for the new program, and the entrance requirements are listed on mitt.ca. “We typically accept 20 students per year. There’s a little bit more responsibility and a greater scope to their practice than a pharmacy assistant. Because it’s a health- care profession, there’s a great deal of demand,” Buffie said.

current and relevant. It’s leading edge and up-to-date content. Medicine touches everyone, so we want to make sure our students are best prepared for that role. This is not a low-stakes profession.” As a pharmacist herself, Buffie enjoys the profession because no two days are ever the same. “You have interactions with the public, so that means you never know what’s going to happen at the other end of the phone or when the person walks up to the counter,” she said. “Even in hospital pharmacy or institutional pharmacy where you don’t necessarily have direct contact with patients, there’s that understanding that every single thing you do impacts a patient in some way. It’s very exciting and it’s always changing. There are always new medications and new treatment protocols coming out.” For people who enjoy teamwork, this profession could also prove to be a good fit. “There are a lot of opportunities for working with other people and there’s a lot of versatility — not only as a pharmacist but even (also) for the technicians,” Buffie said. “There are many different types of work settings, so that’s very fetching for a lot of people. It’s very interesting and there’s always a lot going on.” For more information, visit mitt.ca. ❚

“We’re looking for the right students because it’s a very intense program. These would be people who are very ambitious, dedicated, detail-oriented and organized. It bodes well for you within the program and when you’re out working in the profession. These are crucial characteristics.” Students can look forward to a well- rounded education that prepares them for the workplace. “They spend the bulk of their time here on campus in class, so there are a lot of lectures, simulations, practice and many, many labs. We’re working on renovating a space to create a simulated pharmacy dispensary,” Buffie said. “There are also three work practicums where they will actually go out into institutional and community settings to practise the skills they learned in school, before they graduate.” The revamped pharmacy technician program aligns with MITT’s focus on developing work skills for employability. “We have a lot of really strong partnerships with industry. For all stages of the process so far, we’ve had great support from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba, the University of Manitoba and other partners in the field,” Buffie said. “Many pharmacy professionals around Manitoba are actually developing some of our courses and providing feedback on an ongoing basis, so it’s really ensuring we’re

in the profession. These are crucial characteristics.”

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BRANDON UNIVERSITY PERSONALIZED, PRACTICAL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE By Todd Lewys for the Free Press

When it comes to getting a quality

she recalls. “I actually had no idea that I wanted to be an Athletic Therapist. Having Schad as a mentor really helped me fall in love with it.” Dowd adds that Richea’s personalized approach — she was one of a select group of four to six students chosen by Richea yearly to work with Bobcats student athletes — gave her the chance to gain practical experience and see if Athletic Therapy was something she truly liked. “I spent a lot of time in the clinic with Schad and was there pretty much every day. He walked me through things and let me do things my own way. I was able to work with the different teams at the university and apply what I learned. It showed me that it was something I wanted to pursue as a career.” With that in mind, Dowd subsequently applied to the University of Manitoba’s Athletic Therapy program and was accepted. There’s no question in her mind that learning and working under Richea paved the way for admission to the U of M’s highly-sought-after program. “Everything I did under Schad built my confidence and gave me confidence in my skills. I think I had a comfort level that showed itself, and that definitely helped me get into the program at the U of M.” That’s the whole point of providing such a hands-on opportunity, says Richea. “My job is to give students basic skills and then use real-life, real-time experiences to help them apply those skills. Going through everything —

education, going to a big institution isn’t always the best route. A smaller university outside Winnipeg’s boundaries may offer the personalized, practical experience you need. Schad Richea, Department Chair of Brandon University’s Bachelor of Physical Education Studies program (BPES) and Head Athletic Therapist for BU’s Bobcats Athletics, says that’s exactly what students get at the western Manitoba institution. “As a smaller campus, I think our draw is our community, and the fact that classes tend to be smaller in size,” he says. “We do our best to keep classes at 20 to 30 students — classes are rarely over 40. We do it on purpose because it gives us more one-on-one time with students.” A prime example is the Physical Education program, where classes fall in that ideal 20-to-30 student range. “One of the biggest benefits of smaller classes is familiarity,” says Richea. “Students call instructors by their first names and we call them by their first names, too! Students are comfortable asking questions in class or after class. That comfort level allows us to impart more knowledge and share our experience.”

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Brandon University student Kayley Dowd said she was inspired to become an Athletic Therapist thanks to the practical experience she gained working with Schad Richea (top), Department Chair of BU’s Bachelor of Physical Education Studies program and Head Athletic Therapist for Bobcats Athletics. Brandon University photos

students also work in-clinic with me to gain more advanced skills — helps them find out if Athletic Therapy is for them, or not. Historically, most students come to be a physical education teacher. I want to show students there are other opportunities, like Athletic Therapy.” Dowd says she’s glad Richea took the time to expand her educational horizon. “I’m scheduled to start in Athletic Therapy at the U of M in September. I can hardly wait and am so excited to learn everything I can. I’m going into a career I love because Schad gave me the opportunity and shared his passion and knowledge with me. If I hadn’t been given the opportunity, I might have missed out on a great career.”

And because instructors get to know their students on a more personal level, they tend to get a better read on their strengths and weaknesses. “That allows us to identify skills and to show students that they have more ability than they might think,” he says. “It also allows us to help them explore the potential for a different career path, something that could open up a whole new opportunity for them. Getting to know students more intimately allows us to identify their potential and help them unlock it.” One such student was Kayley Dowd, who came into the physical education studies program after switching degrees. Eventually, she got into an Athletic Therapy after-degree program after seeing Richea’s obvious passion for it. “It was something that grew on me,”

For more information, visit brandonu.ca. ❚

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UCN photos

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE NORTH EDUCATING THE NORTH By Geoff Kirbyson for the Free Press University College of the North has seen its enrolment grow by 60 per cent despite facing some of the biggest challenges in post-secondary education.

With two main campuses in The Pas and Thompson, the UCN is repositioning its offering to be more involved in the continuum of learning, rather than essential skills, but it has to contend with the reality that a very high percentage of the region’s population does not have a high school education. In fact, it’s common that virtually half of the people in a community have not completed Grade 12 — but it’s as high as 80 per cent in some areas. “That means, before they can be successful or eligible, they have (credit) issues,” said Dan Smith, the school’s vice- president of academic and research. “We’re trying to ensure we are able to assist students to become ready for various education options so that at the end they can be employed. We want to become better at ensuring access to post- secondary education to help them achieve whatever it is they want to achieve.” That could mean a few weeks of a refresher course in math or more intensive training in another discipline, all depending on the applicant’s education and skills. You can’t argue with UCN’s success. Over the last year, it has seen its number of students jump from 2,000 to more than 3,200. With a target market where 70 per cent of the people are Indigenous, Smith said UCN’s 150 instructors focus on creating the right learning environment for its students. In some cases, students’ parents don’t have an appreciation of the importance of getting an education so it’s more difficult to support the students effectively. “We’re trying to reflect the culture in the curriculum,” he said. The strategy for last year was shorter- term programs, and this year UCN is hoping to see more students pursuing certificates, diplomas and degrees. On the degrees side, UCN offers four majors and five minors in a bachelor of arts program, in which the courses are largely transferable with

the University of Manitoba. It also has a bachelor of education and a bachelor of business administration program. The U of M’s nursing program is taught on the UCN campus, too. There are eight diploma disciplines offered, including early childhood education, business administration and natural resources management while certificate programs include health- care aides, office assistants, facilities technicians, carpentry, industrial electrician, industrial mechanic as well as culinary arts, welding and heavy- duty mechanics. UCN works directly with industry — such as forestry in Swan River, for example, and mining in Thompson — and provides training and certification in forklift operation, truck driving, first aid and other short-term courses needed by industry. UCN also works with regional health authorities and school divisions to determine skills gaps. “They’ll hire as many nurses and health- care aides as we can produce,” he said. “The north is a classic case of people without jobs and jobs without people. Everybody has the same challenges. Many people are looking for work but don’t have the skills.” A large proportion of the regional health authorities’ budgets is allocated to the transportation of doctors, nurses and paramedics to work up north on a temporary basis. “If we train people, they want to stay in their home communities. There is work available, but they have to be trained to do it. The need and the opportunities, if you’re a post-secondary institution, are almost overwhelming,” he said. Because two-thirds of its students are Indigenous, the First Nations Educational Authority pays for their tuition. “Tuition isn’t a road block in the same way it is at the University of Manitoba or the University of Winnipeg,” he said. ❚

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The Continuing Education Division at Université de Saint-Boniface offers language training, French personal and professional development courses for adults, as well as French programs for youth. Université de Saint-Boniface photos

UNIVERSITÉ DE SAINT-BONIFACE INNOVATIVE LEARNING AT UNIVERSITÉ DE SAINT-BONIFACE By Jennifer McFee for the Free Press

Innovative approaches to education continue to evolve at Université de Saint-Boniface. The long-standing institution’s Continuing Education Division offers language training, French personal and professional development courses for adults, as well as French programs for youth. One new offering is the intensive French- language program called Franséjour , which is slated to run from Feb. 3 to 6, 2020. Previous incarnations of the program required participants to attend full days for a week, as well as evening activities. “This is the new iteration of our immersion program. We were seeing that employer demand on employees was increasing. It was getting more and more difficult to take the full week off and then participate in cultural activities in the evening,” said Aileen Clark, director of the Continuing Education Division. “People had so many different obligations, so we took some time to assess what formula would work.”

They came up with the idea for an intensive program that would run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. over a four-day period from Monday to Thursday. “We have to offer some sort of balance to employees that need to get back to the office at the end of the day to check in and see what’s been going on while they were away,” Clark said. “So we’ve let go of the activities in the evening and they’re going to be integrated into the immersion program. It’s a bit like a boot camp for people who are looking for a jump start to their French training or for those who haven’t spoken in a while and would like to jog their memory.” The Université de Saint-Boniface also takes pride in producing its own educational materials, including new handbooks specially created for its Spanish program. “Most of our courses use our in-house course material we’ve created. It’s designed lesson by lesson with a learner’s handbook to accompany the course,” Clark said. “That’s a big advantage for us with Français oral and we continue to renew approximately one level per year. On the Spanish side, we wanted to follow in the same footsteps.”

Prior to 2018, they had been using an external source for Spanish course material. Then the team at Université de Saint-Boniface opted to develop their own course material that is specifically tailored to meet the needs of their adult learners. The came up with a collection called Exploramos juntos , which means “let’s explore together.” “So far, we’ve completed the first three levels of our Spanish program, the learner’s handbook, as well as the instructor’s guide. We’re piloting that right now and we’re working on putting together the graphic design, so hopefully we’ll have our first booklet published in the fall,” Clark said. “It’s material that really focuses on the communication aspect, so it’s not just learning the grammar.” The Exploramos juntos collection also has a web component that accompanies the classroom work, so learners taking the class can practise with some additional exercises at home. The Spanish course is offered in 11-week sessions that start in the fall, winter and spring. Throughout the session, the class meets once per week for a three-hour lesson. “We’ve been offering the Spanish courses for

many years, but the course material is new. We also offer the Français oral program four times per year,” Clark said. “What makes the Université de Saint-Boniface unique is that you have the college side, the university side and Continuing Education all under one roof. Because of our small size, there’s really a collaborative approach to try to maximize opportunities for anyone who wants to learn.” For more information, visit ustboniface.ca/ educationplus ❚ Université de Saint-Boniface takes pride in producing its own educational materials, including new handbooks specially created for its Spanish program.

10 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019

CULINARY & HOSPITALITY PROGRAMS SCHOOLS OFFER UP MANITOBA- STYLE HOSPITALITY By Jim Timlick for the Free Press A pair of Winnipeg-based colleges have cooked up some creative ways to serve the Manitoba hospitality sector and add to its talent pool. The Manitoba Tourism Education College (MTEC) and Commonwealth College both offer a number of courses designed to give workers the skills and experience they need to fill a number of different roles in the local hospitality industry. MTEC, a not-for-profit school operated by the Manitoba Tourism Education Council, offers five hospitality-related courses including: front desk clerk, housekeeping room attendant, food and beverage server; line cook; and the recently-added bartender and food and beverage server. Council CEO Shannon Fontaine says the curriculum for the five programs is based on national occupational standards and was “developed for the industry by the industry” to address a chronic shortage of workers in the hospitality sector. The food and beverage server training program includes six weeks of classroom training and a 30-hour work practicum. Students receive instruction on a variety of subjects including customer service, professionalism, communication skills, food and beverage product knowledge, how to handle difficult situations and emergency first aid. “The basic goal is to get you in the door,” says Fontaine, adding a large number of students in the course end up being offered jobs during their practicum. MTEC’s line cook training program provides eight weeks of training which includes kitchen operations and terminology, basic recipes, food preparation, food handling and sanitation principles, dietary restrictions, and receiving and storing foods. A major focus of the line cook program is providing participants with three weeks of hands-on experience in a commercial-grade kitchen near the school’s Scurfield Boulevard campus as well as a 30-hour practicum. That includes learning how to prepare everything from soup to crème brûlée. Most graduates of the line cook program find employment soon after graduation. “There’s a real shortage of line cooks in this city and in the province,” Fontaine says. The bartender and food and beverage server training program is MTEC’s newest offering with the first session starting recently. It includes seven weeks of classroom training with a focus on Smart Choices responsible service certification, preparing and serving mixed drinks, bartending tools and equipment, customer service, processing payments and how to deal with difficult situations. Students also take part in a 30-hour work practicum. Fontaine says the bartender program was developed in response to the growing needs of local hotels and restaurants. “There’s a shortage of bartenders in the city. It’s unbelievable. Places like the Winnipeg Convention Centre call us all the time,” she says. “It’s a good occupation. A lot of people prefer it because it works out to be more of a managerial position where they’re sort of running the bar.”

L-R: Christy Bochurka (bookkeeper), Cathy Hayes (career counsellor) and Jackie Tsouras (college co-ordinator) in one of the Manitoba Tourism Education College’s classrooms. Photos by Jason Halstead

Food preparation is a major focus of Commonwealth College, a private school formerly known as Patal Vocational School. Its 10-month, full-time culinary arts program offers students 1,350 hours of instruction split between the classroom and a full apprenticeship-accredited kitchen located on the school’s William Avenue campus. As part of the program, students receive instruction on food- related subjects including food safety, the principles of cooking and baking, flavours and flavouring, and how to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to the kitchen. Steven Watson, head of the college’s culinary arts faculty, says the program has been designed to simulate the conditions students will face working in a commercial kitchen and allow them to “hit the ground running” upon graduation. “We like to tell people that students read about it, we talk about it and then we do it,” he says. “We focus a lot on the practical to ensure that when they graduate and go

out there (and be) a productive member of a culinary team. Theory is important too, but a lot of times it’s about getting your hands dirty, so to speak. That’s what we try to get them ready for.” One of the more unique aspects of Commonwealth’s culinary arts program is its 1491 initiative, which was designed to recover and reimagine Indigenous cuisine for the 21st century. It essentially tries to re-create the way food was prepared here more than 500 years ago using only ingredients that were available at the time. That means using maple syrup or berries in place of processed sweeteners, for example, or duck or bison fat instead of cooking oil. The 1491 menu has been requested by a number of clients who use the college’s catering service and has received rave reviews. “It’s been shockingly popular,” Watson says. “When people hear about it they’re fascinated.” For more information, visit mtec.mb.ca or commonwealthcollege.ca. ❚

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Student Jeremie Minani (right) says Booth University College’s slogan ‘Education for a Better World’ piqued his interest. Supplied photos

BOOTH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BOOTH UC EQUIPS STUDENTS TO HELP THEMSELVES & THE WORLD By Todd Lewys for the Free Press

Thirteen years ago, Jeremie Minani came to Canada with a dream. In 2006 — after fleeing political instability in his native Rwanda and spending time in a refugee camp — Jeremie and his mother ended up immigrating to Canada, ultimately landing in Winnipeg. After all he’d been through — life in Rwanda had been tough — Minani nevertheless dreamed of one day returning home armed with an education that would help him play a role in turning his native country around. He filed that thought away in the back of his mind as he embarked on his new life in Winnipeg. As exciting and peaceful as his new surroundings were, it was difficult to start over. Not only did he and his mother have to adjust to a new country, but they had to do it without his father, who’d been killed during an armed conflict in Rwanda. Even though life was fraught with challenges, Minani was a good student. He maintained excellent grades in school, fuelled by his dream. As he approached high school graduation, he was looking for an educational institution that would equip him with the knowledge and skills to make his dream a reality. After a brief search, he happened upon Booth University College. “Their slogan, ‘Education for a Better World,’ really drew my interest,” recalls Minani. “I checked them out, and they seemed like the right fit for me.” His intuition proved correct. Booth’s educational philosophy seemed custom-fit to his unique set of circumstances. “Because my mom was a single parent who didn’t have a great education, I had to work to help out to pay the bills in addition to going to school full time. After I was accepted into their accounting program, they helped me out with bursaries and scholarships that helped me afford to pay for my studies.” Not only did Booth provide invaluable financial assistance, but staff members also supported him in his scholastic endeavours. “At the college, they say that they’re there to educate and equip students to not only help themselves, but the world,” Minani says. “Everyone at the college lives that out every day. It’s also not super-big, so you can connect with professors outside of class, where they’re happy to make themselves available.” Jeremie says the encouragement he’s received from teachers has sustained him as he’s made his way through his first two years of school. “All my teachers have been so encouraging. They’ve all gone out of their way to give me the knowledge, support and confidence I needed to thrive. They really want to help students. It’s been very humbling to have

Minani and his mother immigrated to Canada from Rwanda in 2006.

been so well-supported by the school.” That support has been augmented by a curriculum that’s provided him with the knowledge and skills that will be required to help transform Rwanda upon his eventual return. “I’ve been taking courses like marketing, artist management and marketing after- production,” says Minani, who is also into music, and wants to help musical artists connect with record labels. “I’ve been learning and applying the skills and have even been involved in a number of events with music, travelling through Canada.” As he moves forward — he’s slated to visit Rwanda in the not-too-distant future — Minani wants to expand his entrepreneurial skills beyond music. “I want to start off helping people through music and the arts, but also want to get involved in investing in businesses there, especially renewable energy. I also want to invest in young entrepreneurs,” he says. “Ultimately, I want to help provide jobs so people can get an education and better themselves.” The 20-year-old — who is going to be switching over to marketing to add to his already formidable arsenal of skills — says the college is helping make his dearly-held dream reality. “I’m very excited about the future,” says Minani. “The education and support the college has given me is going to help me make a difference when I go back to Rwanda. They really get involved with their students and are there to help in any way they can. I am so appreciative of all the help they’ve given me.” For more information, visit boothuc.ca. ❚

OPEN THEM.

WHEN THE WORLD CLOSES ITS EYES,

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EDUCATION FOR A BETTER WORLD

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