Ottawa, February 11, 2020 – Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) celebrated the official launch of the new Skills to Access the Green Economy (SAGE) program today in St. Lucia. SAGE will support demand-driven technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in key economic sectors vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, and St. Lucia.
The 5-year program will focus on increasing the capacity of local training institutions to deliver gender-sensitive skills training programs that meet economic and environmental needs in the region, by leveraging the expertise of Canadian colleges and institutes. The ultimate goal of the program is a more qualified labour force for employment in key economic sectors vulnerable to climate change.
All in all, ten Canadian colleges and institutes will partner with twelve local Caribbean partners across the SAGE program’s six countries of focus.
This CAD $15M program is funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada. CICan was joined for the program inauguration by Benoît-Pierre Laramée, Senior Director for Global Affairs Canada’s Caribbean Regional Program, as well as Barrymore Félicien, Permanent Secretary to St. Lucia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Cooperatives
“We are incredibly pleased to launch this new program, which builds on a proud history of partnership between Canadian and Caribbean TVET institutions. This includes our own CARICOM Education for Employment Program (C-EFE) that concluded in 2018 and helped roughly 2000 students, across twelve countries, graduate from new TVET programs”, said Denise Amyot, President and CEO of CICan. “We look forward to this continued collaboration as we work together to tackle pressing challenges linked to climate change while investing in the resilience of Caribbean learners, post-secondary institutions, and businesses.”
A three-day orientation session will follow the program launch to provide an opportunity for all participants to develop a shared understanding of the SAGE program. Presenters will focus on the required partnership outcomes and frameworks in place for the undertaking of gender analysis, projection of green skills, development of occupational standards, the awarding of Caribbean vocational qualifications, and curriculum development.
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.
-30-
For more information:
Julien Abord-Babin
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
Email: jabord-babin@collegesinstitutes.ca
Phone: 613-746-2222 ext. 3131
Twitter: @CollegeCan