Algonquin College

Black History Month at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus

Viola Desmond just wanted to watch a movie, but what happened to her on November 8, 1946 in Nova Scotia became a watershed moment in Canada’s civil rights movement. Desmond was a successful Black businesswoman, operating a beautician training school in Halifax and eventually expanding her business across the province, but it was car trouble that set her on a course that would make her one of Canada’s greatest historical figures.

On that fateful day in 1946, Desmond was travelling on business from Halifax to Sydney when her car started acting up and she was forced to pull into a nearby service garage in the small community of New Glasgow. The garage mechanic told her it would take a day to repair the vehicle so, in order to kill some time, Desmond decided to go to the Roseland Theatre and catch a movie.

Roseland Theatre

At the ticket counter, Desmond requested and paid for a lower-level seat, but the ticket handler instead gave her a balcony seat, which was the segregated seating for Black patrons. Desmond tried to take a seat on the main level of the theatre anyway but was challenged by an usher and was eventually forcefully removed from the theatre and arrested.

She spent the night in the local jail and appeared the next day before a city magistrate where she was found guilty of defrauding the provincial government for not paying the amusement tax of one cent on the ticket. The penny represented the difference between the ticket for a balcony and the ground level seat. Without any legal representation, Desmond paid a fine of $26 that was levied against her by the presiding Judge, who awarded six dollars of court costs to the theatre general manager.

Nova Scotia’s black community was outraged. While Desmond’s husband wanted her to let things go, the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People raised money to fight her conviction. She eventually lost her appeal on technical grounds and her case quickly faded from public consciousness. In 2010, long after Desmond’s death in 1965, she was posthumously granted a free pardon by the Nova Scotia government and was recognized for her contributions to the struggle for racial equality in Canada.

Speaker Series - Graham Reynolds Violas Story Feb. 1

On February 1, Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus will kick off Black History Month with a special virtual speaker series presentation on the life and legacy of Viola Desmond by author and civil rights historian Graham Reynolds.

In 2000, Professor Reynolds was teaching a racial discrimination history course at Cape Breton University when he met the younger sister of Desmond, Wanda Robson. Robson was 73 years old but was interested in the course and enrolled. Reynolds describes her as the “life and energy of the classroom.”

“Having Wanda Robson as a student was a defining moment in my career. It began a two-decade long journey and collaboration to raise public awareness regarding the racial injustices of the past, especially in relation to the Viola Desmond story,” says Reynolds.

Robson went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree at the university, graduating at 77 years of age, and in 2010 she released her own book entitled, Sister to Courage: Stories from the World of Viola Desmond, Canada’s Rosa Parks.

Sister to Courage: Stories from the World of Viola Desmond, Canada’s Rosa Parks

In that same year, a free pardon was granted to Desmond posthumously by the Nova Scotia government, and the Viola Desmond Chair in Social Justice was established at the University. Reynolds was named as Chair and worked with Robson to write a book entitled Viola Desmond’s Canada, which was released in 2016. Two years later, they wrote Viola Desmond: Her Life and Times.

“The Viola Desmond story brings to light a long-forgotten chapter in Canadian history. And, for us to move forward as a nation and build a more just society, we must confront these darker pages of our past,” says Reynolds.

In November of 2018, 72 years after she was dragged out of the Roseland Theatre because of the colour of her skin and 53 years after she passed away, Desmond was honoured by becoming the first woman to appear on a Canadian $10 bill, confirming her place as one of Canada’s most courageous people and historical figures.

Desmond

Canadians have been celebrating Black History Month for decades after the first move to recognize the contributions of Black Canadians was made by the city of Toronto which passed a proclamation in 1979. It wasn’t until 1995 that the House of Commons unanimously passed a motion declaring February as Black History Month.

On the 75th anniversary of Viola Desmond’s arrest in 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Canadians, “Black people have helped shape our history and collective identify, and stood proud as leaders in communities across the country. Despite all this, systemic anti-Black racism still exists in Canada, and has undermined the livelihoods of Black Canadians and caused deep pain. This needs to stop.”

By taking a stand, Viola Desmond tried to stop racial segregation. Her cause remains active today.

Registration is now open for the Viola Desmond speaker series which will begin at 7 p.m. The session is free to students, employees, alumni and anyone over 60 years of age. You can register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/speaker-series-black-history-month-kick-off-with-author-graham-reynolds-tickets-244517336937

(Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs)

 

Algonquin College Pembroke Campus Virtual Open House on October 20th

Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus continues to expand its programming, offering more choices for anyone interested in pursuing a college certificate, diploma or degree. The campus will be hosting a virtual Open House on Wednesday, October 20 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. that will include an opportunity for prospective students to learn more about the programs.

The sessions will be led by faculty who teach in the 23 programs that will be represented. The program mix at the campus includes business, technology, health care, skilled trades and unique programs such as Applied Nuclear Science and Radiation Safety, Outdoor Adventure and Environmental Technician.

Wednesday, October 20 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m

The campus is also launching two new programs starting in January of 2022. Geographical Information Systems is a post-graduate certificate program and Computer Programming is a two-year diploma program that includes an optional paid co-op experience. These programs join the Environmental Management and Assessment post-graduate certificate program that was offered for the first time at the campus last year.

In addition to the program sessions, there will also be a special session for parents and several student services sessions that will help address questions about admissions requirements, financial aid and what supports are available to help students succeed in their academic programs. When the time comes to visit the campus, students will really be able to appreciate the picturesque beauty of the campus which is located on the shores of the Ottawa River.

the shores of the Ottawa River

Virtual sessions have proven to be very convenient for prospective students and their families, particularly applicants who don’t live in Pembroke. It eliminates the need to travel and provides great access to faculty and student services staff to get questions answered. A virtual campus tour is also available and there will be some prizes available for those who attend.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many organizations to expand their use of technology and the same is true for Algonquin College. While more programming is gradually returning to the Waterfront Campus, remote learning is continuing and the College is utilizing platforms such as ZOOM to be able to bring information to prospective students in the most convenient way possible.

Open House

Pre-registration is required for the virtual Open House so that links can be provided to students who want to attend. The event is open to anyone who is interested in attending Algonquin College as representatives for the Ottawa and Perth campuses will also be available to answer questions. Information on the Open House has been shared with high schools and employment services offices throughout the region as Ontario Colleges are now receiving applications for both the Winter and Fall 2022 intakes.

In fact, offers of admission for the Fall 2022 intake will start to be made as of November 1st so it’s not too early to apply and make plans for attending a college program. Applications can be made online at www.ontariocolleges.ca. Prospective students can pre-register for the Open House at: https://www.algonquincollege.com/pembroke/voh/

 

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus. Jamie can be reached at brambuj@algonquincollege.com or at 613-735-4700, ext. 2756

Jason Blaine Charity Golf and Concert Returns-Raises $87,000!

Jason Blaine hadn’t performed with his band since July of 2019. That changed this week when Blaine returned to his hometown of Pembroke to host his annual charity concert and golf tournament. Instead of a two-day event, it was scaled back to a one-day, nine hole event that included a nighttime outdoor concert at the Pembroke Golf Club. It had to be that way because of the restrictions that are necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jason Blaine Charity Golf and Concert Returns-Raises $87,000!

There are few industries that know more about the impact of the pandemic than entertainment, but as the world slowly re-opens and fairs, festivals and concerts are again permitted, Blaine can see a light at the end of the tunnel. After cancelling his charity event last year, he was thrilled to be back home and doing what he loves-performing on a stage.

“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster. It’s not just the music and the fans that you miss, it’s the camaraderie of making music together. It’s feels so great to be home,” says Blaine.

Blaine

Blaine established his charitable fund 8 years ago. It evolved into a signature event in the Ottawa Valley attracting other Canadian Country recording artists from across the country including Dallas Smith, Kira Isabella, Chad Brownlee, Tebey, Gord Bamford and Aaron Pritchett. With plenty of star power and a lot of community support the charity has raised more than a half-a-million dollars for local organizations including Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus.

Despite the modified format this year, the return of the event was a huge success, raising $87,000 all of which will be invested in community organizations and special projects in the Pembroke area.

“This event has become really special to me. It provides me with a purpose, adds an extra value to the music and what I do. I try to make as big an impact as I can with the music, especially seeing the impact it has had on the community,” says Blaine who from day one wanted to support youth and mental health causes.

He has delivered on that promise, committing $100,000 to the building fund for the Waterfront Campus and an additional $100,000 to establish an endowment to support college students in financial need. As a Business graduate of the Pembroke Campus, Blaine continues to give back to his alma mater, placing a high priority on supporting access to post-secondary education in his charitable giving.

“It is so great to see the endowment fund growing and students benefitting from it. Having Algonquin College in the heart of Pembroke has brought an energy and a revitalization to the community,” says Blaine who has also been generous with the Pembroke and Area Boys and Girls Club and the Robbie Dean Family Counselling Centre.

Blaine who has also been generous with the Pembroke and Area Boys and Girls Club

He and his wife, Amy, also an Algonquin College graduate, live just outside Nashville, Tennessee where they are raising four children. Blaine moved to the United States to kick start his music career after graduating from Algonquin College where he started to write his own songs. Since then he has recorded several top hits including: They Don’t Make ‘Em Like That Anymore, Cool, Spotlight and Rock in My Boot.

Golf field

One thing that is clear is that Blaine has never forgotten his roots. It’s where he first picked up a musical instrument as a little boy and set forth a plan to become a musician. He’s fulfilled that dream and at least for one day he was happy to be back on stage in his hometown.

(Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs at the Pembroke Waterfront Campus)

 

International Student Loves Quiet Tranquility the Pembroke Campus Has to Offer

Monica Numpaque is getting used to the quiet tranquility of Pembroke, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of a large urban city and the noise and pollution that comes with it, replaced by the sound of birds chirping, the occasional honk of a car horn, clean air and the picturesque beauty of Pembroke’s waterfront.

Numpaque arrived in Canada from Bogota, Colombia, a city of 7.5 million people in April, coming to Pembroke to study in the Environmental Management and Assessment program at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus. She was excited to move to Canada for her post-secondary studies, but her expectations have been exceeded.

“I have found that living in a small city like Pembroke has various benefits, including a calm and safe environment. Pembroke is organized and clean, and people have a calm living style, so they are not in a hurry. I appreciate how people are friendly and courteous and welcome you when they see you, wishing you a nice day,” says Numpaque.

International Student Loves Quiet Tranquility

Numpaque and her husband are hoping to immigrate to Canada after she completes her co-op placement at the College where she is a science lab monitor, supporting students studying in the Environmental Technician program. She feels fortunate to be working at the College and says the opportunity to participate in a paid co-op placement attracted her to the program.

“I chose the program at Algonquin College since this college is internationally recognized for offering high-quality academic programs. I chose the Pembroke campus because I wanted to study in a peaceful environment surrounded by nature. Furthermore, the curriculum includes courses in a variety of subjects connected to environmental sciences that are both interesting and useful. The field experiences, as well as the Co-op, attracted me to the program,” says Numpaque.

With no vehicle, Numpaque has been getting to know Pembroke on her bike and by walking around the city. Like many newcomers, she is impressed by the vastness of Canada and the wide open spaces that are found in more rural areas. “Canadians are very friendly and kind, they have helped me to adapt to this country and to learn about their interesting culture. Pembroke is a lovely town surrounded by nature, with great spots to ride a bike and participate in water sports. The architecture of its historic homes, churches, and museums make Pembroke a nice place to live.”

Pembroke a nice place to live

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic last winter, international students studying in the Environmental Management and Assessment program were able to join the program from their home country, taking the entire first semester of the post-graduate certificate program in a virtual setting. They were required to come to Canada for the spring term to ensure they had the opportunity to participate in many hours of field work.

Learning in Canada’s back country has provided Numpaque with not only a practical learning experience, but also an opportunity to appreciate the country’s natural landscape. “I have enjoyed the field trips offered in the program. We have visited wonderful places full of nature with beautiful landscapes. I have enjoyed as well the sample processing lab where I have learned valuable analytical techniques. The campus location fascinates me since it provides a beautiful view of the Ottawa river and is close to the Waterfront Park, where you can relax and enjoy nature,” says Numpaque.

Recently her husband has found work in Ottawa. The couple is planning to buy a vehicle and begin the process of gaining permanent residency status. Their journey is just starting in Canada. For the next few months, Numpaque will spend many hours in the science lab at the Pembroke Campus gaining valuable work experience in her field, working side-by-side faculty and supporting other students enrolled in environmental science programs.

Pre-Health Pathway, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus

Numpaque has barely spent any time in the country that she hopes to live and work in for many years, but Pembroke has left her with a great first impression of Canada. Her story is an example of how smaller communities that are welcoming to international students and immigrants can be a landing place for newcomers if they are welcoming and have attractions such as post-secondary schools to grab their attention.

It was Algonquin College that brought Numpaque to Pembroke. It will be the community that will help settle her in the city.

(Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs. Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus administers the federally funded Local Immigration Partnership in Lanark and Renfrew Counties, a program that helps communities welcome newcomers to their region.)

 

 

 

 

 

Project Hero Recipient Remembers Her Father as Afghanistan Returns to Turmoil

The scenes of despair that have emerged from Afghanistan have shocked the world. Afghans hanging off of airplanes trying to leave the country as it grapples with the return of the Taliban to power, are reminders of why Canadian soldiers spent more than ten years in the war-torn country trying to give Afghans a better life. Now, as an oppressive regime regains power the war-torn country is again in turmoil and there are fears the progress that had been made has been lost.

From 2002 to 2014, Canada sent 40,000 troops to Afghanistan, a NATO mission that cost 158 Canadian soldiers their lives including Chief Warrant Officer, Robert Girouard, who lost his life two days after his 46th birthday. Based at Garrison Petawawa, Girouard had been in the armed forces for almost 30 years. He was a career soldier, married with three children and well respected by the troops who reported to him and soldiered beside him.

Robert Girouard

His only daughter, Jocelyn Girouard-Ranger, has been thinking a lot about her father as Afghanistan unravels. “I refuse to believe that he died in vain,” says Girouard-Ranger, who was 21 years old when she lost the man who had raised her as the family moved around the world from one base to another, including a posting in Germany and several stops in Canada. “He loved the military. He joined at 17 years old. He was hard-working, good at his job and got along well with people. He and my Mom were talking about retirement after Afghanistan,” says Girouard-Ranger.

Jocelyn Girouard-Ranger with her Father, Chief Warrant Officer, Robert Girouard, shortly before he was killed in Afghanistan in 2006.Robert Girouard and daughter

On November 27, 2006, Warrant Officer Girouard was in an armoured vehicle participating in a military convoy in Kandahar, a hot spot where militant Taliban insurgents often clashed with NATO troops. A suicide bomber drove a car into the middle of the convoy setting off a powerful explosion that killed Girouard and another Canadian soldier, Corporal Albert Storm.

When the tragedy happened, Jocelyn Girouard-Ranger had just started in the Social Service Worker program at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus. She was planning her wedding, scheduled for eight months later, but her father’s death dealt her a jarring blow. She dropped out of school, had trouble coping and considered cancelling her marriage ceremony. “I just didn’t know how I was going to walk down the aisle without him,” says Girouard-Ranger.

She and her husband, Sergeant Eric Ranger, did go ahead with their wedding and three years later, Girouard-Ranger was ready to return to school. She was also a first time Mom when she made plans to enroll in the Business program at the Pembroke Campus. She was prepared to fund her education on her own.

One day she was reading a newspaper article and learned about Project Hero, an initiative inspired and launched by retired General Rick Hillier and Kevin Reed, a Toronto businessman and Honorary Canadian Forces Lieutenant Colonel during the peak of the Afghanistan war. Project Hero encouraged Canadian colleges and universities to offer free tuition to the children of soldiers killed in military missions. Algonquin College was one of the first colleges in the country to sign on.

Girouard-Ranger contacted the Pembroke Campus to inquire if she was eligible for the scholarship. Within days the financial strain of paying for her post-secondary tuition was removed. She also received support through another initiative called Canada Company that helped cover additional educational expenses. Looking back, she says Project Hero had a huge impact on her ability to attend school, but also in helping her come to terms with her father’s passing.

“It is a tangible and purposeful reminder that these fallen soldier’s legacy lives on in the civilian world. These programs are a reminder that their sacrifice wasn’t forgotten by the public,” says Girouard-Ranger.

Jocelyn Girouard-Ranger stands in a Memorial park at Garrison Petawawa where her father, Chief Warrant Officer, Robert Girouard is honoured and remembered. Girouard-Ranger

Fifteen years after her father lost his life in Afghanistan, Girouard-Ranger continues to live in Petawawa, where she and her husband are raising three children. She now works for a counselling office, where she works as a client care coordinator and bookkeeper, combining her interest in business and helping others.

Every year she visits her father’s gravesite at the Beechwood cemetery in Ottawa, the final resting place for hundreds of Canadian soldiers. Shortly before his death, her Dad had decided that if something happened to him in Afghanistan, he wanted to be buried among those who had served their country and made the ultimate sacrifice.

Until his final breath, Robert Girouard remained a dedicated soldier who died a hero. He died young, without the opportunity to see his daughter graduate from college and to become a mother. Project Hero was created to honour his sacrifice and to help take care of those he left behind. It is a living memorial to Girouard and his fellow servicemen and women lost while serving their country. They were all heroes.

(Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs at the Pembroke Waterfront Campus)

 

Algonquin College Social Services Worker Graduate is Voice for Inuit Youth

Crystal Martin-Lapenskie knows the hardships faced by Inuit communities. She was raised in Sanirajak in Nunavut, spending her early years in Canada’s Arctic region before moving to the Ottawa Valley as a teenager. For the past two years as the President of the National Inuit Youth Council she has been a powerful voice as an advocate for young people who often struggle to have access to the necessities of life.

From an early age, Martin-Lapenskie wanted to make a difference. After graduating from Opeongo High School, near her Ottawa Valley home in Eganville, she had considered becoming a police officer and applied to the Police Foundations program at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus. But, she changed her mind and instead enrolled in the Social Service Worker program, a decision that would propel Martin-Lapenskie into an advocacy role that has taken her around the world, working directly with Indigenous leaders, elected officials and like-minded individuals to shine a light on the most pressing social justice issues facing Inuit youth. She has twice met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and has connected with several federal cabinet ministers where she has participated in committees and working groups to address public policy.

Martin-Lapenskie graduated from Algonquin College in 2013. Soon after she began working with Inuit communities, taking on leadership positions in economic development while also supporting not-for-profit organizations and starting her own consulting business. Her roles included being a project manager and Acting Regional Director for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and working with Ontario’s Ministry of Education to develop and revamp curriculum to include Inuit history.

Frequently invited to round tables and consultations with government officials, Martin-Lapenskie is always willing to share her voice as a representative for Canada’s Inuit youth. The 94 calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation report have become her playbook as she brings attention to the many issues facing young people in Canada’s Northern communities such as access to mental health services, but surprisingly, Martin-Lapenskie believes there has been a silver lining through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Inuit have the highest suicide rates not only in Canada, but in the entire world. When COVID happened last year, my heart sank with the thought of losing more youth as we lack proper mental health services across Inuit Nunangat, but the pandemic brought our communities together and that closeness has resulted in the lowest suicide numbers we’ve seen. Inuit youth are utilizing this time to immerse themselves out on the land with their loved ones, proving that land based initiatives are paramount to the well-being of our people,” says Martin-Lapenskie.

Crystal Martin-Lapenskie is intelligent, well spoken and passionate about her work, much of it unpaid. Volunteerism is a huge part of her approach to sharing her message about the needs of Inuit youth. She sits on several committees providing valuable input to organizations such as the Renfrew County District School Board, Renfrew County Catholic District School Board, United Way East Ontario, International Inuit Business Association, and the Kamatsianig Council that advises on polices that impact Inuit children and youth in the welfare sector.

“Canadians need to know that Inuit are among the most resourceful, resilient and adaptable people in Canada and although they live through socio-economic disparities, Inuit youth have not lost hope and have been awakened by the reclamation of our cultural traditions and language,” says Martin-Lapenskie, who has taken a particular interest in supporting the health and wellness of Inuit.

She recently welcomed a production crew to her home so she could record a federal public service announcement encouraging Inuit to get their vaccination to help stop the spread of the pandemic. It’s this type of meaningful advocacy that has made Martin-Lapenskie one of Canada’s most important Indigenous voices.

As she wraps up her two-year term as the President of the National Inuit Council, Martin-Lapenskie is proud of the work that she has done, but is not about to slow down in her advocacy efforts. She understands too well the socio-economic issues facing Northern youth and has committed herself to staying connected with a part of Canada that few Canadians know. For Martin-Lapenskie, the North will always be her home, the place that drives her ambition to help others and the reason she became a Social Service Worker.

(Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs)

 

30,000 Trees Planted by Forestry Technician Students

The days were long, the sun was hot, but the satisfaction of a job well done is what inspired 23 Forestry Technician students from Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus to plant 30,000 trees in Algonquin Park and the Nipissing Forest.

In a program that involves hundreds of hours of practical learning experiences in forests and bush lots, this was the ultimate challenge for the students because of how meaningful the project was. Trees are one of natures most renewable resources, but these trees are special. They have been planted in memory of people who recently passed away.

Planting trees

The project was sponsored by the Ontario Woodlot Association, the Canadian Institute of Forestry, Friends of the Petawawa Research Forest, Nipissing Forest Management Inc. and the Algonquin Forestry Authority. The trees included white pine, red pine and white spruce seedlings. As a thank you to the students, a $5,000 donation was made to the College in support of the Forestry Technician program.

Planting trees

Forestry Technician Program Coordinator, Peter Arbour says, “This was such a satisfying experience for the students. Planting trees in an operational context, creating a living memorial and helping the forest for the next 100 years, while raising funds for the College, was a beautiful thing.”.

Planting trees

The Forestry Technician program is the longest standing program offered at the Pembroke Campus. It was established shortly after the campus began operations in the late 1960’s and has produced hundreds of graduates who have supported the labour market needs of one of Canada’s most important industries. Technicians trained by Algonquin College can be found in forest operations across the country and throughout the Ottawa Valley which is well known for its forestry roots.

About twenty years ago, the program format was modified from being a traditional two year diploma program to a compressed diploma program. This transition has allowed students to complete the program in one calendar year. It’s also what made this tree planting project possible, because students are available during the spring and summer months as they are finishing up their final semester before graduating in late August.

Planting trees

The program continues to be very popular, attracting more applicants than the number of seats available. In recent years, the Pembroke Campus also introduced an Urban Forestry-Arboriculture program and it has also been well received. Both programs have waitlists for the Fall 2021 intake which is good news for an industry that has experienced some labour market shortages in recent years.

Both the Forestry Technician and the Arborist programs attract students from across Ontario and Quebec, and in some cases other parts of Canada. Forestry is an industry that has been around for hundreds of years, and it will continue with Algonquin College well established as one of the leading forestry education post-secondary schools in the country.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs)

Promoting the Skilled Trades to High School Students During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been disruptive to many things in life including education, but in some parts of the province there have been some excellent partnerships between Colleges and District School Boards that have benefitted high school students. Renfrew County is one of those places where there is a significant blue-collar workforce and looming labour market shortages.

The skilled trades have been particularly hard hit. An aging workforce, a housing construction boom and a stubborn pandemic have created the perfect storm, but these workforce gaps have also created some urgency for Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus and the Renfrew County Public and Catholic District School Boards to create more opportunities for students interested in skilled trades careers.

Pembroke skilled trade student work

While most Ontario high school students are studying from home, a small group of high school seniors are swinging hammers and making precision cuts as they complete level one of the General Carpenter apprenticeship program at the Pembroke Campus. With the support of the Renfrew County District Health Unit, the two school boards and the College, 18 students are enrolled in the program, nine from each board. It’s part of a School-College-Work-Initiative that helps high school students get a taste of college before they graduate from secondary school.

“It’s been quite extraordinary to watch how this partnership has evolved through the pandemic and the sheer determination by all parties to make this work for students,” says Tracy Norris, Acting Manager of Academic Partnerships at Algonquin College.

While Renfrew County has had its share of positive COVID-19 cases, the population base is much smaller and throughout the pandemic there have been fewer regulatory restrictions imposed on the area. The College has continued to deliver a variety of shop classes and labs in a modified format that includes smaller class sizes, work space protective barriers, physical distancing and mask wearing.

Renfrew shop class (OYAP Carpenter students with the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board pose for a photo wearing masks and socially distancing from one another. Only nine students are allowed in the shop at one time)

The program began in mid-April and will continue until the end of June. Students have been supplied with books, tools and safety equipment relevant to the trade to support their learning. By splitting the students into two smaller groups, it has ensured the college’s adherence to provincial COVID-19 regulations for delivering trades programs. It has also helped with providing strong program oversight and the coordination of transportation for students to and from school daily.

The program schedule has required students to be flexible. While most classes such as understanding building codes, estimating project costs and using power tools safety are being delivered during the daytime, welding classes are offered in the early evening. The students and their families haven’t questioned the schedule, but they have expressed a lot of gratitude that the program is being offered.

“This has been a great opportunity for the students. There is always a lot of interest in the skilled trades in our area and the students were genuinely excited to be part of the program,” says Tina Noel, OYAP Coordinator for the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board.

AC wood burning

With only a small number of spaces available to students, it was difficult to decide what students would be admitted into the program. It didn’t take long to fill the seats, and those seats were well spaced out. Individual work stations were set up and furniture was adjusted to ensure physical distancing both in the classroom and in the shop.

“The attention to detail to ensure the students could safely and collaboratively hone their carpentry skills, while also experiencing college, has been great,” says Alex Harris, OYAP Coordinator for the Renfrew County District School Board.

AC Students build

During the pandemic, representatives of the school boards and the Pembroke Campus have been meeting weekly. The sole objective of the meetings is to find other pathway program opportunities to keep high school students engaged at a time when many of their other classes are being delivered virtually. The regular communication has produced excellent results.

In addition to the Apprenticeship delivery, more than 100 other high school students in Renfrew County have participated in a dual credit course offered during the 2021-2022 academic semester at the Pembroke Campus. These offerings included courses in Communications, Psychology and Foreign Landscapes. An “introduction to the skilled trades” summer course, planned for this July, will be targeted at groups that are not fully represented in the construction sector, particularly young women and Indigenous youth.

This grassroots effort to introduce more young people to the abundance of career opportunities available in the skilled trades is a great example of how the School-College-Work Initiative is making a difference, one student at a time.

Confirming Your Offer of Admission-A Good Decision!

Another deadline is fast approaching for Algonquin College applicants. On May 1st applicants will need to decide if they will choose to accept their offer of admission for the Fall term which begins in September.

So why wouldn’t an applicant move forward with their plans to attend college? There’s a lot to unpack when answering that question, so let’s turn it around and focus on why most applicants do follow through on one of the most important decisions of their life. The primary answer is because they want a career and attending post-secondary education is the first step in earning a credential that opens doors.

Question

Those doors are expected to open widely in many sectors as the world emerges from a prolonged shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Take the hospitality and tourism industries, two sectors that have been particularly hard hit because of the forced closure of restaurants, ski hills and other tourism attractions for extended periods of time.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As a mass vaccination program rolls across the country, albeit not soon enough for most Canadians, there are predictions from several economists of a robust economic recovery in many sectors. Canadians have been saving money and with borders closed and many of their favourite destinations off limits, that pent up energy and spending power bodes well for the economy.

A student enrolling in the Outdoor Adventure program this fall will graduate in the spring of 2023. Hopefully by that time, adventure tourism will again be thriving and the demand for graduates of the program will have returned to pre-pandemic levels. The Ontario government is banking on it, already announcing millions of dollars in investments to keep small businesses and tourism outlets operating until people are free to move around again.

Julien Lafreniere, Outdoor Adventure Grad, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus

Enrolments for post-secondary training have remained strong through the pandemic. College students have not put their plans on hold. They have adapted well to the change in the way their courses have been delivered, whether that has meant virtual classrooms and labs, or in person activities where physical distancing can be achieved and mask wearing is required, unless you’re hanging out in a tree. That’s been the case for Urban Forestry-Arboriculture students who have honed their skills as tree climbers with regular field trips, despite the pandemic.

Urban Forestry - Arboriculture, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus

In some programs, students have experienced being on the front line of the pandemic. Nursing and Personal Support Worker students have been in high demand and have voluntarily supported the most vulnerable patients in long-term care centres, while also assisting with vaccination clinics. With an aging population and the pandemic exposing the strain that the health care sector has been under, health care jobs will continue to be plentiful.

Personal support care student

So while some students will opt not to confirm their offer of admission, most will follow through with their original intentions when they applied to college. It will be a wise choice, because the need for highly skilled workers has become even more important as we adjust to whatever changes are in store for us in a post-pandemic world.

(Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs)

 

Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus Embraces Indigenous Teachings

Five years ago, Algonquin College made history when it appointed an Executive Director of Truth, Reconciliation and Indigenization. The position that Ron McLester accepted was the first such role in Canada’s post-secondary system. Since then it has evolved into a Vice-President’s role as the College embraces the calls to action that were made in Justice Murray Sinclair’s ground-breaking Truth and Reconciliation report in 2015.

The report was a watershed moment for Canadians. It shone a light on the injustices done to the Indigenous peoples of Canada, including the use of residential schools, which many have termed cultural genocide. Since the report was released, many businesses and organizations have responded positively and are making an effort to integrate Indigenous teachings into their day-to-day operations, including post-secondary schools.

Drumming Circle, Algonquin College, Pembroke CampusAt Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus, a short drive from the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, several initiatives are underway. These include the introduction of a Kampus Kokum and Elder-in-Residence to support Indigenous students studying at the campus.

A Kokum is an Algonquin Anishinabe word for Grandmother and Annie Parker of The Circle of Turtle Lodge fits the role well. Her gentle and welcoming personality has been well received by students and staff as she provides cultural and traditional insight, support and guidance to Indigenous students.

The addition of a Kampus Kokum and Elder-in-Residence, Aimee Bailey, also of The Circle of Turtle Lodge, was made possible through a special project known as Mamiwi Maadaadizi, or “Start of an Algonquin Journey.” Mamiwi Maadaadizi is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council through the College and Community Social Innovation Fund grant. The project has several tentacles that reach into many areas of the campus.

Indigenous Services, Algonquin College, Pembroke CampusFor example, several employees and students have participated in Talking Circles and presentations to better understand Indigenous history and philosophy that predate the formation of Canada. These activities have included the Kairos Blanket Exercise, which visually explains how Indigenous peoples lost their land rights because of settler encroachment.

The trauma caused by the forced separation of children during what became known as the Sixties Scoop, when thousands of Indigenous children were placed in foster care or adoption services, and the impact of residential schools, has also been explored. More recently, employees have had the opportunity to learn about Medicine Wheels, the moon’s cycle from an Indigenous perspective and a private screening of the documentary “Colonization Road”, a provocative film that explores the impact of colonization on Canada.

Colonization Road, directed by Michelle St. John and narrated by comedian and activist Ryan McMahon, is a discovery of how the building of roads by European and American settlers negatively affected Indigenous communities, often leaving them isolated. The title for the film is a metaphor for what followed, the dismantling of their land and culture, the effect of which is still being felt decades later.

Sharing these stories are powerful teaching moments. The Algonquins of Pikwakanagan have an informative mobile display that is loaned to schools throughout the Ottawa Valley, including the Pembroke Campus, where it has been showcased for several years. The wooden display panels catalogue local and national Indigenous history, including the oppressive Indian Act of 1876, residential schools, voting rights and the founding of Indian Reserve Number 39, what is now the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation.

Blanket Exercise, Algonquin College, Pembroke CampusThere is still much work to do but the Indigenization journey has begun at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus, a post-secondary school that stands on the shores of the Kitchissippi River (Ottawa River) on unceded traditional Algonquin territory. The river holds so much history and a few years ago it was recognized for its cultural value as it was designated as one of our country’s heritage rivers. A special plaque, written in the Algonquin language, acknowledges what the Algonquins call, “The Great River.”

The river is the perfect backdrop for Indigenous teachings, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, very few students are on campus. Most are studying remotely. The Indigenous Drums that are frequently used for special ceremonies in the Campus Commons are quiet, but when the day comes that students can return to the campus, the drums will be awakened as Algonquin College’s Indigenization journey continues.

Jamie Bramburger is the Manager of Community and Student Affairs at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus