Oshawa, Ontario – Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce its participation in two initiatives in Kenya with Young Africa Works: Youth Employability through TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) program.

Facilitated by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, the first initiative will be undertaken over 12 months, focusing on preparing a new industry-driven training program for a September 2021 launch, and the second, which will be undertaken over the next five years, will focus on developing and scaling up training of pre- and in-service trainers to deliver competency-based education and training (CBET) instruction and capacity development for leadership and management.

Increasing industry-driven training programs

Working as the lead institution on the first initiative, DC, in collaboration with Algonquin College and Kenyan partners, seeks to increase the participation of young Kenyans, particularly women, in market-relevant skills training programs. Using a partner-driven, participatory approach, the goal is to ultimately grow the number of young people in dignified and fulfilling work in the Big Four (food security, affordable housing, manufacturing and affordable healthcare) and digital sectors.

DC’s involvement comes as a continuation of the Kenya Education for Employment Program (KEFEP), which saw the college work with The Kitale National Polytechnic and The Eldoret National Polytechnic providing support for institutional leadership and assisting with the implementation of Kenya’s technical and vocational education and training reforms.

This unique collaborative project will leverage the strengths of each partner to quickly implement and accelerate its overall impact.

Over the course of 12 months, all involved in the project will work to develop student-centred learning materials, gender equity and inclusion strategies, and industry linkages.

Exchanges will also occur between Kenya and Canada, allowing Kenyan trainers to conduct benchmarking visits to Canada in order to be exposed to CBET methodology, industry workshops and courses that are currently in use. Canadian trainers and subject-matter experts visiting Kenya will continue to build relationships with their Kenyan partners and develop a better understanding of the local context.

Developing and scaling up pre- and in-service training

DC is also supporting a second initiative, alongside project lead Algonquin College, and Camosun College, which will give current trainers and leaders the skills they need to successfully deliver CBET education.

This will be done by embedding its CBET principles within the theory and practice of their preparatory courses, while better aligning them with newly developed national standards, where modules focus on the different learning needs of young women and young men.

The development and scaling-up of pre- and in-service instruction will ensure that up to 9,000 new TVET trainers with CBET methodologies will be deployed.

The Canadian colleges will also work with the Kenyan partners to explore opportunities for TVET trainers to upgrade or maintain their technical skills through short-term industry placements as an element of in-service training.

“We are very excited about both of these initiatives,” said Marianne Marando, Associate Vice-President, Academic (Enrolment and International Education), Durham College. “DC has a longstanding history of working with institutions across Kenya and thanks to the Mastercard Foundation’s generous funding, and facilitation by CICan, we are able to work alongside other Canadian colleges to lend our expertise, helping to further refine skills training to meet the country’s growing needs.”

About Durham College

With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, Durham College (DC) offers over 13,400 full-time students access to more than 140 post-secondary programs, including the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management, and nine apprenticeship programs.

DC enables students to develop career-ready skills for the ever-changing job market by offering an exceptional college education. With a focus on experiential learning, led by experienced faculty, through field placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads are known for having the skills and knowledge employers need.

At the Oshawa campus, the Centre for Collaborative Education brings together local, Indigenous and global communities, featuring the Durham College Spa, Global Classroom and interprofessional simulation and anatomy labs. The campus is also home to several of the college’s applied research centres, including the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation and Mixed Reality Capture Studio. Additionally, the flexible, fully automated, and industrial-grade Integrated Manufacturing Centre serves as a model of the new standards in education in advanced manufacturing, mechatronics and engineering.

At DC’s Whitby campus, construction has begun on the new Skills Training Centre. Designed to shine a spotlight on skilled trades training, innovation and education, this building will expand the college’s capacity to provide students with hands-on training, access to simulators and other forms of instruction in shop labs for carpentry, HVAC, welding, elevating devices, crane operation, automotive, millwright and plumbing, among others.

The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes the award-winning Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food grown and prepared by students in the college’s horticulture, culinary and cook apprenticeship programs.

To learn more about the college, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

About Mastercard Foundation

The Mastercard Foundation works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work.  It is one of the largest, private foundations in the world with a mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world. The Foundation was created by Mastercard in 2006 as an independent organization with its own Board of Directors and management. For more information on the Foundation, please visit: www.mastercardfdn.org

For more information, please contact:

Durham College

Meghan Ney, Communications and Marketing
meghan.ney@durhamcollege.ca | 416-648-5453

Mastercard Foundation

Helen White, Strategy Lead, Program Communications
hwhite@mastercardfdn.org | +27 76 166 5372