Northlands College is proud to announce its founding membership in the World Alliance for Micro credentials (WAM) Foundation. This global initiative aims to establish a unified approach to micro credentials, encompassing best practices in design, instruction, sharing, research, and recognition of skills and labour market needs worldwide.
Northlands College has a longstanding commitment to promoting labour market access to employers in the Northern Saskatchewan, particularly by supporting Indigenous engagement and celebrating Indigenous cultures and values. By joining WAM, Northlands College reinforces its dedication to creating inclusive pathways for labour market mobility.
"Throughout its history Northlands College has been at forefront of fostering labour market access in the global North, particularly, supporting indigenous engagement in the labour market and holding up indigenous cultures and values. We look forward to sharing our expertise in indigenization with the world" said, Karsten Henriksen, President & CEO of Northlands College.
Through its membership with WAM, Northlands College aims to provide Northern employers and learners with access to a variety of micro credentials, empowering them to enter the labour market and enhance their skills. Oonagh McGirr, Global Director of WAM, expressed her enthusiasm for the growing influence of micro-credentials. " It's a real privilege to see micro credentials growing in the way that we hope and also for me personally as I have a direct connection to Canada and the work that we started some years ago from New Zealand collaborating on micro essentials. LikeSaskatchewan the sky is the limit for micro-credentials."
Additionally, Northlands College will offer a specialized micro-credential focused on supporting indigenization to member institutions, further contributing to the alliance's inclusive vision. Positive on the direction of this alliance, Colleen Charles, Director of Indigenous Initiatives at Northlands College, said, "We have a responsibility as a society from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada. Education is critical to reconciliation. While we have made progress at Northlands College and welcome the largest Indigenous learner population in northern Saskatchewan, we need to continue to continue this conversation with Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, communities within Canda, and across the globe. We have created culturally safe spaces for faculty, staff, and learners to engage in traditional activities such as cultural ceremonies, participate in national Indigenous events, educational opportunities, and integrating indigenous studies that reflect the Indigenous culture at our Northlands College regional campuses in Northern Saskatchewan."
Stefano Tirati, Coordinator of the International Scientific Committee of the WAM Foundation, echoed the positive sentiment regarding the partnership with Northlands College. " Our mission is to promote the opportunity for a structured dialogue at global scale, sharing good practices, promoting applied research on diverse use cases, enabling access to technical specifications, protocols and international standards for micro credentials. "We look forward to cooperate with Northlands college in promoting the adoption of micro credentials in different regions across the globe."
Northlands College's collaboration with WAM is poised to create significant opportunities for learners and employers, fostering a more inclusive and dynamic global labour market.
