Month: February 2021

Dear Colleagues and Learners,

Let me first start by thanking you for the resiliency, creativity and flexibility you have continued to display each and every day as we navigated the recent province-wide shutdown and its impact through the Winter Term on the delivery of our programs and services.

As we mark the Winter Mid-Term Break period next week (for most programs of study; exceptions include AC Online and apprenticeships), I want to commend you for your hard work and spirit of collaboration in the face of the many unique challenges created by the pandemic. Continue reading →

The new accelerated training program for personal support workers (PSWs) announced today by the provincial government will produce a huge increase in the PSW training at Ontario’s colleges.

“This timely program supports learners and future patients by helping address the community demand for personal support workers,” said Claude Brulé, Algonquin College’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “It’s an excellent opportunity for people interested in a new career in this crucial health care field.”

The Ontario government announced funding today for an accelerated program that will cover students’ tuition and other expenses. The accelerated program allows participants to graduate with full credentials within six months. Continue reading →

Dear Colleagues and Learners,

Following the February 12 announcement ending the Provincial shutdown, our campus communities have all transitioned to the Ontario’s revised COVID-19 response framework – a regionalized system of assessment and restrictions.

Ottawa and Perth returned to this regionalized COVID-19 response system Tuesday, February 16 – following Pembroke on February 10. Returning to this framework allows our campuses to operate largely as they have throughout the Fall term. Continue reading →

OTTAWA (February 11, 2021) – Today as we celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Algonquin College is pleased to announce that the Leacross Foundation has donated $60,000 to support women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs at Algonquin College. 

“We are thrilled by the ongoing generosity and support from the Leacross Foundation,” said Claude Brulé, President and CEO of Algonquin College. “Their ongoing commitment to ensuring women are supported in STEM fields is a great help to our learners. Their contributions help remove barriers for female students to participate in STEM programs, connect with female mentors and have gender inclusive classrooms.” 

The donation will provide $2,000 bursaries to 20 women in the We Saved You a Seat program who are in financial need. It will also go towards purchasing take-home kits for female learners to support remote learning.   Continue reading →

Dear Colleagues and Learners:

On Monday, the Premier announced that Ontario’s State of Emergency would end on Tuesday, February 9 – allowing for a gradual reinstatement of a regionalized system of assessment and restrictions.

The existing stay-at-home order and shutdown measures will remain in effect in individual communities and regions until they transition back to the province’s revised COVID-19 response framework. Ottawa and Perth are scheduled to return to this system on Tuesday, February 16 while Pembroke returns today (Wednesday, February 10). As part of the revised framework, non-essential retail will be allowed to open in some zones with strict capacity limits and other new safety measures. Continue reading →

For many students, leaving family and loved ones behind to attend college means leaving a support network and family traditions. Luckily, Indigenous students at the Pembroke campus have the opportunity to interact with a supportive grandmother-figure who is ready and willing to engage with them.

Annie Parker is the Pembroke Kampus Kokum. A Kokum is an Algonquin Anishinaabe word for Grandmother. On campus, her roles to provide cultural and traditional insight, support and personal consultation for our Indigenous students.

It’s a new role for the College, and for Parker, and one she has embraced. “It’s a real honour,” she said. “I see it as being able to be open and honest with the students, I don’t have all the answers but I have a willingness to find the answers, to be approachable, and students can come to me. In short, develop relationships.” Continue reading →

Dear Colleagues,

I am thrilled to announce that Algonquin College has been named a National Capital Region’s Top Employer for the eighth year in a row.

Canada’s Top 100 Employers is an annual competition organized by Mediacorp Canada Inc. that awards exceptional workplaces on both a national and regional basis. Algonquin College has won an award in the National Capital Region category every year since 2014. Continue reading →