$2-million
investment from Scotiabank to help members of underrepresented
local communities and newcomers to Canada, including refugees, build essential
skills
MONTREAL, Aug. 15,
2022 /CNW Telbec/ - McGill
University's School of Continuing Studies is launching a
unique experiential training and professional development program,
with support from a $2-million
community investment from Scotiabank, to help members of
underrepresented local communities and newcomers to Canada, including refugees, build the durable
skills they need to pursue their career paths.
The generous gift from Scotiabank is part of ScotiaRISE, the
Bank's 10-year, $500-million
initiative that aims to promote economic resilience among
disadvantaged groups. Scotiabank's latest investment is the largest
ever to the School of Continuing Studies. It will support the
School's Experiential Empowerment & Development (SEED)
Initiative, which aims to reduce barriers to career advancement and
income stability while contributing to Montreal and Quebec's civil society and economies.
"On behalf of the McGill community,
I would like to express our gratitude to Scotiabank for helping to
make this important initiative possible," said McGill Principal
Suzanne Fortier. "This visionary and
generous support will allow the School of Continuing Studies to
continue to open doors to better employment opportunities for
underrepresented groups."
Helping to remove
barriers
Financial obstacles, such as the cost of tuition and foregone
earnings, often prevent newcomers, refugees, racialized
communities, Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized
groups from effectively participating in career enhancing
professional development. Language proficiency can also be a
barrier to employability for many job seekers.
The SEED Initiative powered by ScotiaRISE is designed to serve
students through targeted partnerships with organizations
supporting historically excluded and equity-seeking populations. It
also seeks to expand the set of possible life choices for
individuals, such as pursuing further education or exploring career
opportunities they might not otherwise have considered.
The SEED Initiative powered by ScotiaRISE will offer
participants an unprecedented opportunity to acquire a credential
in the essential skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing job
market along with robust academic and student support services. The
curriculum includes French and English language upskilling,
personalized career coaching, practical, experiential learning,
internship opportunities as well as networking with professionals
and community leaders. Learners will be paired up with mentors,
including Scotiabank employees, and receive job shadowing
opportunities at various organizations and businesses.
"We are very proud to partner with McGill to address the barriers many face in
achieving their career goals," said Meigan
Terry, Senior Vice President & Chief Sustainability,
Social Impact and Communications Officer at Scotiabank.
"Participants in the SEED program will strengthen work-ready skills
and build greater economic resilience for themselves, their
families and their communities. Through ScotiaRISE, we continue to
focus on programs that enable our Bank to deliver on our purpose,
for every future, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of
people in our communities."
"As part of the School's mission, we have developed programs
over the years to empower underserved and underrepresented members
of the community at large," said Carola
Weil, Dean of Continuing Studies. "With the SEED Initiative
powered by ScotiaRISE, we are building on our expertise in
workforce development and an extensive network of local community
and private sector partners to create a comprehensive approach to
supporting these learners on their career paths.
"By empowering individuals to develop crucial career skills,
they will be able to better take advantage of the many professional
opportunities in Montreal and
Quebec," Weil added.
Starting in 2023, SEED will welcome up to 40 learners per year
who will see their tuition costs covered by the Initiative. The
Scotiabank gift also provides for a stipend for participants to
help remove financial barriers so they can access the program.
A full-time intensive learner could complete the initiative in
six to nine months, while a part-time learner might take 12 to 18
months.
The School will launch the initiative in an in-person format,
but part of the funding will be used to convert the programming to
online delivery to serve a wider community beyond Montreal, Weil explained.
Each year, the School of Continuing Studies welcomes more than
6,500 learners. The School hosts about 30 per cent of McGill's Indigenous student population. Newcomers –
immigrants or refugees who have arrived in the last five years –
represent more than half of its student enrolment.
About McGill
University:
Founded in Montreal, Quebec, in
1821, McGill University is Canada's top ranked medical doctoral
university. McGill is consistently
ranked as one of the top universities, both nationally and
internationally. It is a world-renowned institution of higher
learning with research activities spanning three campuses, 11
faculties, 13 professional schools, 300 programs of study and over
39,000 students, including more than 10,400 graduate students.
McGill attracts students from over 150
countries around the world, its 12,000 international students
making up 30% of the student body. Over half of McGill students claim a first language other than
English, including approximately 20% of our students who say French
is their mother tongue.
https://www.mcgill.ca/
About Scotiabank:
Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our
purpose: "for every future", we help our customers, their families
and their communities achieve success through a broad range of
advice, products and services, including personal and commercial
banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and
investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of over 90,000
employees and assets of approximately $1.3 trillion (as
at April 30, 2022), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock
Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For
more information, please
visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on
Twitter @ScotiabankViews.
SOURCE McGill University