TORONTO, ONTARIO – The Ontario government is providing funding for Humber College’s Excellence in Mental Health Leadership and Mental Wellness for Front-line Health Care Professionals micro-credential programs.
Funding through the Ontario Micro-Credentials Challenge Fund will help Humber build on its robust catalogue of micro-credentials and continuous professional learning, with new offerings that support front-line workers.
The Hon. Jill Dunlop, Ontario's Minister of Colleges and Universities was joined by Christine Hogarth, MPP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, to announce that the province is investing $15 million for 250 new rapid training programs to create industry-relevant micro-credentials at colleges, universities, Indigenous Institutes and private career colleges.
“Our government continues to prioritize quick, flexible training opportunities that will prepare Ontarians for the in-demand jobs of today and tomorrow,” said Minister Dunlop. “These micro-credentials will be developed in collaboration with industry to respond to regional labour market needs and will strengthen partnerships between post-secondary institutions, training providers and employers.”
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 74 per cent of Ontarians experienced increased mental health challenges during the pandemic. These two micro-credentials will help front-line workers address their mental health struggles and the struggles of the patients they see daily.
"Humber is committed to providing options for life-long and continuous professional learning to learners in many fields. We are pleased to offer these two new mental health related micro-credentials with the support of the Ontario government,” said Chris Whitaker, president and CEO, Humber College. “Offering health care professionals opportunities for reskilling or upskilling is critical as we help prepare front-line workers with the skills needed to identify and support their patients' mental health along with their own."
The Excellence in Mental Health Leadership micro-credential program will provide upskilling to employees within their current jobs and aims to support a local COVID-19 response or another critical area of need within a community. Ontarians encounter long wait times and fragmented and uneven access to mental health services, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exponentially increased the demand for mental health and addiction services. The Excellence in Mental Health Leadership Micro-Credential Program will be delivered virtually and will better equip current mental health professionals with the knowledge, skills, and tools to become emerging leaders in Ontario's mental health and addictions sector.
The Mental Wellness for Front-line Health-Care Professionals credential will provide health care professionals with the foundational tools necessary to improve understanding of the complexities of the unique stress and mental health challenges public safety and health care personnel face in their jobs daily. With a greater understanding of their mental health and wellness and how to maintain it, front-line professionals will be better equipped to perform at a peak level and assist colleagues in understanding their mental health and wellness. Online delivery of the program will allow learners to attend the courses without compromising their work-life balance further. The program will provide front-line health care workers with the tools needed to help them stay mentally well within their chosen field.
Humber will provide participants with the essential skills to improve their overall employability and resiliency in health care. It will also provide students with the necessary tools to be effective, efficient, adaptive and innovative in an industry experiencing change and shortages due to the pandemic.
A micro-credential is a single, shareable endorsement or attestation of a learner's achievement of specific knowledge, skills or competencies.
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About Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
Humber College is focused on our students' future. As a global leader in polytechnic education, Humber students receive in-depth theoretical learning and hands-on experience with applied research and extensive industry connections. Humber provides career-focused education to more than 38,000 full-time and 19,000 part-time students and professional learners in-person at three main Toronto locations and online. A comprehensive range of credentials, including honours undergraduate degrees, Ontario graduate certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships and certificates, prepare career-ready global citizens to move seamlessly from education to employment. More than 86 per cent of Humber graduates are employed within six months of completing their studies. Visit humber.ca.
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