Ottawa, May 24, 2018 – Canadian colleges and institutes will help support the green economy and address climate change in the Caribbean region. Initiated by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), the Skills to Access the Green Economy (SAGE) Program will help share Canadian expertise in technical and vocational education in this vital and growing sector.
Funded by Global Affairs Canada, the SAGE Program is a 5-yearproject that will support six Caribbean countries (Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica and St. Lucia) to train youth, women and Indigenous people for employment in the green and blue economy, and to respond to the effects of rising ocean levels, global warming, and the degradation of land and water resources.
The program will focus on developing new technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programs and updating teacher-capacity as well as creating on-the-job training models. This will help unemployed youth, women and indigenous people acquire the skills they need to work in the emerging climate change mitigation and adaptation fields as well as other key economic sectors. It will also include a strong gender mainstreaming component, with gender analyses and gender training conducted in workplaces and institutions.
The SAGE program builds upon the successes of CICan’s CARICOM Education for Employment project, through which 19 institutional partnerships were successfully developed and implemented between Caribbean TVET institutions and 20 Canadian colleges and institutes. That project has had an immediate positive impact on about 2,000 students in new TVET programs and helped strengthen capacity at participating institutions.
Quotes:
“We are thrilled to continue our engagement in the Caribbean region to help address the challenges stemming from climate change. This is not only an opportunity to address pressing concerns for these island nations, but also to improve training opportunities and create increased economic opportunities for TVET graduates in the region.”
Denise Amyot, President and CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada
“Canada is committed to strengthening the Canada-Caribbean relationship and addressing key issues of regional importance, such as the impact of climate change, as well as enhanced trade and investment.”
The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie
About Colleges and Institutes Canada:
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is the voice of Canada’s publicly-supported colleges, institutes, cegeps and polytechnics, and an international leader in education for employment with ongoing programs in over 25 countries. CICan’s members add over $190B to Canada’s economy each year and contribute to inclusive economic growth by working with industry and community partners to offer more than 10,000 programs to learners in urban, rural, remote, and northern communities.
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For more information:
Julien Abord-Babin
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
jabord-babin@collegesinstitutes.ca
Tel.: 613-746-2222 ext. 3131
Twitter: @CollegeCan