Multi-site training: ubiquitous learning across the miles.

The Colleges of Ontario Network for Education and Training (CON*NECT) is an alliance of Ontario's Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology and provides both the public and the private sector with a convenient, single point of access to the education and training resources of the Ontario colleges. For employers who have employees in more than one location across Ontario, CON*NECT co-ordinates multi-site training solutions. With 24 colleges operating at 850 sites in 200 communities across Ontario, there is usually a college in or near each desired employer site.

Director of CON*NECT Gary Cronkwright says, "We secure a contract and then arrange for the colleges to deliver the required material across Ontario. The advantage for the client is that we make all the contacts and co-ordinate an efficient roll-out of the training. The client deals directly with each college, but we orchestrate the points of contact." Recently, CON*NECT completed a contract with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that trained 2,000 people at 15 sites across the province in just three weeks using the expertise of four colleges: Conestoga, Confederation, Fanshawe and George Brown. The organization also co-ordinated multi-site training for the Plant Engineering and Maintenance Association of Canada (PEMAC)'s Maintenance Management Professional (MMP) certificate program, which involved 14 colleges in Ontario, and others across Canada.

Another CON*NECT multi-site training success involves Teranet Inc.-a company that provides e-services to the legal, financial and real estate markets as well as the public sector. "We have helped Teranet train about 5,000 people at a dozen college sites. It began with Fanshawe and branched out from there," Cronkwright says. "We contacted the appropriate people at each college, and then introduced Laura Micks, Teranet's Manager of Training and Development, to each site."

The project, electronic land registration, is being developed in conjunction with the provincial government to automate the Land Registry system in Ontario. Among Teranet's initiatives is the development of proprietary software that enables lawyers, law clerks and paralegals to submit for registration and search documents without visiting Land Registry offices.

"CON*NECT offered us one-stop shopping." Micks says. "The service saved us time and effort and has worked well. The community colleges have accommodated our roll-out schedule as we introduced the software training to our clients. The colleges looked after registration, fee collection and classroom management. We provided the trainers and the delivery." She points out that the training has also been installed into the full-time curricula for those studying to be law clerks and legal administrators, so they will graduate knowing how to use the automated system. "It has been extremely effective and we have worked with CON*NECT on other initiatives," Micks says.

Another vibrant example of multi-site training at the college level involves George Brown College, which has been working with Canada Post and CUPW since 1997 to provide customized electro-mechanical programs for staff training. "Canada Post and CUPW anticipated a shortage of maintenance people to work at the plants," says Darrin Caron of George Brown's Centre for Continuous Learning. "We have processed 190 people through this two-year program, which includes both electronics and mechanical courses. At one time, courses were delivered solely at George Brown. Now people in Western Canada and Quebec can access them at their local colleges. This is an effective partnership among the college, the corporation and the union."

This kind of innovative approach to training that supports accessibility and adaptability of programs helps companies adapt to changing labour market requirements.