Confederation College Announces Training Partnership with Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong

THUNDER BAY, ON, January 23, 2023 – Confederation College is pleased to announce a partnership with Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong, to offer free, in-person Office Administration training to Treaty 3 members. The first full intake with 15 students will commence on January 23 in Fort Frances. Courses will be mainly delivered at the Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong offices, with the rest at the College’s Rainy River District Campus (Fort Frances).

The syllabus consists of five office administration courses, which include comprehensive training in office procedures and Microsoft Office Suite software. These credits will count toward The Office Administration – General program currently offered at Confederation, should students wish to continue their education. This program is designed to teach practical and transferable skills, as well as the attitudes and knowledge required to succeed in a variety of office settings.

"We planned to launch the training in 2020, but then the pandemic hit, and as we move forward, we have found the need for trained Indigenous Office Administrators is even greater," said Marie Seymour, Executive Director of Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong. "Positions have become available as people evaluate their careers, are promoted, or move to other positions. The timing of this course is perfect to assist our local employers and to meet the needs of our clients!"

Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong Training and Employment Centre for the Treaty No. 3 Area Inc. is mandated by the Chiefs of Treaty #3 to promote employment development and deliver training initiatives to 23 First Nations within the Treaty #3 area and their members and to Treaty #3 members outside the Treaty #3 area.

“This training partnership is coming at a time when the business sector in northwestern Ontario is facing staffing shortages” said Kathleen Lynch, Confederation College President. “We are excited to continue to work with Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong to help new professionals enter the workforce.”

Laptop computers for the courses will be provided to students via a lending program from Contact North, a close partner of Confederation College, that will help students complete their homework assignments. Contact North (Contact Nord) is a free, local bilingual service to help residents in 1,300+ rural and remote Ontario communities access online programs and courses from colleges, universities, and training providers without having to leave their communities.

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Confederation College has been serving the citizens of northwestern Ontario since 1967 meeting the educational needs of students in a catchment area of some 550,000 square kilometres. Along with its main campus in Thunder Bay, Confederation College has seven regional sites located in Dryden, Fort Frances, Greenstone, Kenora, Marathon, Sioux Lookout and Red Lake, as well as a growing Distance Education division.

Confederation College delivers exceptional education and training to an average of 4,800 combined full- and part-time students per year and currently has a total of 600 full- and part-time employees. Confederation’s regional economic impact and contribution is valued at $703.3 million annually.