For eCampusOntario, Human Skills Are the Goal of Technology-Enabled Education

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 10, 2020 / eCampusOntario leads three province-wide, technology-focused programs that grow the human skills of post-secondary students and graduates entering the Ontario job market.

Human skills-which include the ability to adapt, cooperate, and communicate-are in high demand in workplaces throughout Ontario. As local industries become more globally competitive and new technologies automate work processes, employees must also be able to learn new skills through on-the-job and upskilling opportunities.

A government-funded not-for profit, eCampusOntario leads programs that are designed to help students grow their human skills for high-demand employment areas. Human skills are a focus for eCampusOntario because, as Anne Marie Fannon, Director of the Professional Development Program at University of Waterloo states, "The importance of human skills in the future of work is indisputable, particularly as we envision the impacts of automation and AI. Those core competencies of collaboration, communication and being able to connect with human beings and mobilize toward a common cause have always been critical for success in the workplace."

The eCampusOntario Student Experience Design (SXD) Lab engages students to co-design solutions to real-world problems affecting the student experience. This year, students in the lab were brought together with education and industry stakeholders to create more human skill development into public higher education through experiential learning opportunities.

eCampusOntario also leads a technology-enabled solution for Francophone students to gain real-world work experience as part of their post-secondary education. A consortium of six Ontario colleges and universities provides access to Riipen, a digital work-sharing platform. Through le consortium d'apprentissage expérientiel francophone de l'Ontario (CAPFO), Francophone students can work on employer projects in their field of study, gaining relevant skills and workplace readiness.

Finally, eCampusOntario continues to provide all publicly funded Ontario colleges and universities with access to LinkedIn Learning, a site that includes thousands of skill development resources, recommendations based on learner interests, and the ability for students to post to their LinkedIn profiles the courses they have completed.

These programs provide students and institutions with opportunities to develop human skills, which serve Ontario's in-demand labour needs.

Contact Lena Patterson, Co-Executive Director (interim) at lpatterson@ecampusontario.ca for more information on eCampusOntario initiatives that build human skills.

SOURCE: eCampusOntario

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