Ontario council on articulation and transfer supports post-secondary learner mobility at 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. 

About Loyalist College 

Loyalist College is built upon the lands governed by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. We affirm and thank the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg and Huron-Wendat nations for their continued caretaking of the land. At Loyalist, we empower our students with wraparound support services and hands-on training to succeed on any path they choose. Our academic programs are responsive and innovative, designed to solve pressing social and economic challenges and meet the evolving needs of our regional industry and community partners. Our graduates enter the workforce equipped with the knowledge they need to be better global citizens, and with future-focused skills to lead change in their fields. With a presence in Belleville, Bancroft, Port Hope, Tyendinaga and Toronto, we believe our institutional responsibility extends beyond the classroom to seeing the big picture for the communities we serve. Our expertise in applied research and deep connections to local industry support economic development, to the benefit of businesses, entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators. Our commitment to decolonization, and the pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable world, means we hold ourselves accountable to the diverse perspectives, cultures and experiences that shape our communities. 

 

Contact:  

Hannah Brown             

Director of Marketing and Communications   

613-921-0784 

hbrown@loyalistcollege.com