After 12 years of service at Humber, Geraldine Babcock, director, Community Outreach and Workforce Development (COWD) has made the decision to retire. Her last day on the job will be December 29, 2023. 

Geraldine came to Humber in 2012 to lead the COWD department and advance its mandate of supporting access to post-secondary education, training and employment for equity deserving groups such as, newcomers, women, racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, and youth. Through collaborative partnerships with faculty & departments, industry, and community stakeholders, the department has developed several initiatives, programs and services and secured funding from a variety of government ministries and donors.   

Under her leadership, COWD’s funding revenue has now grown to more than $5 million per year for the programs at the North Campus. The newcomer programs for internationally trained professionals and pre-apprenticeship programs for youth and women have expanded and continue to be effective responses for newcomers seeking pathways into their profession in Canada and women and youth interested in careers in the skilled trades. Some of the new innovative programs developed during Geraldine’s tenure include the Youth Transition Program, the Digital Fluency for the Workforce micro-credential and the first-ever donor-supported engineering bridging program.  

Geraldine launched the Humber College Community Partnership (HCCP) Fund in 2013, which has supported projects created by Faculties and community partners that provide joint expertise in addressing identified needs and opportunities in the community. Some of the key projects supported by the HCCP Fund include the First Robotics annual event, the Math Camp for youth, and the Gardens Project at Lakeshore to grow food and address local food security issues.  

Geraldine’s approach to the work has been to build strong collaborative teams that are exceptional at relationship building, both internally and externally. During her tenure, COWD expanded partnerships with Faculties and departments and community partners, with Geraldine representing Humber at numerous community and City network tables, Colleges ON committees and CICan committees. For the first 10 years of Geraldine’s tenure, she was also responsible for overseeing the Humber College Community Employment Services. 

She notes her appreciation for the support COWD has received from all areas of the college along with the broader Humber community, the presidents and executive teams and the Board of Governors. In reflecting on her time at Humber, she is most proud of COWD’s efforts to achieve what the Ontario college system is all about – providing equitable access to education and skills development opportunities to individuals within the community. 

I have learnt a lot from working with Geraldine and benefitted from her experience and insight on many occasions. She has been a great member of the External Affairs and Professional Learning leadership team and she will be missed. 

Please join me in thanking Geraldine for her many important contributions to Humber and wishing her all the best. We will share information about a retirement celebration for Geraldine when details are confirmed. 

Kelly Jackson 
Vice-President, External Affairs and Professional Learning