The Kenora District Services Board is trying a new approach to increase the number of early childhood educators in the area.
The services board is partnering with Northern College for a fully-funded distance learning accelerated early childhood education program for students in Dryden, Kenora, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake, and Ignace.
Henry Wall, the chief administrative officer of the services board, said this is the first time they are trying an approach like this.
“I could never imagine just how much interest the program received,” he said. “Within less than 24 hours [of announcing the program], we had over 70 applications.”
Wall said there has been so much interest that they’ve had to stop accepting applications for the program.
The board has been hearing about significant labour shortages in the community and childcare keeps coming up, Wall said.
“I think we have to recognize that when we look at our early years and child care programs, they really are the backbone of our communities and the economy,” he said. “If parents don't have access to childcare for many parents, that means they don't participate in the labour force.”
Wall said there is an opportunity to expand the number of child care spaces in the region, but that it also means more early childhood educators will be needed across the district.
“There simply aren't enough,” he said, adding that the region could easily use another 100 educators without an issue.
He said they had originally wanted to have up to 18 spots for the program, but due to the demand, they are looking to see if they can expand to 30 spots.
The program is a hybrid model where students learn virtually while still being able to work at the same time, Wall said.
The accelerated program will last four semesters starting in January until the Winter 2024. Funding for the program comes from the board's labour force development strategy and from the Ministry of Education, according to Wall.
“In our region, when you want to access education, you always generally need to leave your community to do so,” he said.
This also means incurring the financial costs of going away for school, including tuition and rent, which can be difficult, Wall added.
“[This program is] a very incredible experience for us, but it also is demonstrating that we need to look at new and creative ways to partner with our Colleges, in particular with Northern College and Seven Generations Education Institute, and unique partnerships with our childcare programs across the district,” he said.
Wall said he thinks they're onto something here.
“This is a unique way to train our own labour force to invest in our own communities,” he said. “To support [our community members] while they're having a means to work, but also having hybrid means to get an education.”
Wall said depending on how this program works out, they may explore using this model for paramedic and personal support worker training.
