Business and Community Services
Inside the Department of Adult Education and Vocational Training (AEVT), the Continuing Education sector is having a makeover. Why? The reason is in order to reflect the increasingly broad and inclusive range of services they provide.
This article details the changes.
The services offered by AEVT are divided into three major sections: General Education, Professional Training and the section formerly called Continuing Education — Business and Community Services. From the outset, explains Mamadou Diop, Director of AEVT, “we would often hear the remark that, because our services were called ‘Continuing Education,’ it gave the impression that we were only offering educational programs.”
The approach we want to have is to offer a broad range of support services. Yes, to businesses, but also to community organizations, to local political institutions and, in addition, to businesses established here in Nunavik but that came from down south.
In this context, the term “support” means more than the idea of just training. For example, when the Landholding Corporation wants to perform a needs assessment, there is no training aspect involved. The service team acts in a consulting capacity to support the Kativik Regional Government.
This translates to greater flexibility and adaptability. Since they are not under the same restrictions as the “Youth Sector,” Adult Ed can assess client needs and develop ways to meet those needs.
We are exploring avenues besides training, which is only concerned with employability. Take the need to certify employees, for instance. How can we recognize people and certify them based on their experience instead of on their training?
The Director also puts the accent on the “community” aspect. In fact, AEVT wants to work with partners who had not previously considered Kativik Ilisarniliriniq, including women’s associations and any of the other organizations that are working in the areas of Inuit culture, language and identity.
The reason for the name change is to better represent the whole array of services available, while enhancing visibility, inclusivity and marketability.
