Patricia Lang: Public Sector Award--Northwestern Ontario.

Public-private partnerships are not only important for a college's role in the development of educational institutions, but also in developing the health of communities, Patricia Lang says.

"I believe that when the college is successful, the community is successful, and when the community is successful, the college is also successful," says the president of Confederation College.

Upon becoming president of the school in 2000, Lang created a series of partnerships between the public and private sector to develop the school and community.

Among the partnerships was the development of three centres of excellence in the region: the Aviation Centre of Excellence (ACE), the Forestry Centre and the creation of an applied degree in Indigenous Leadership and Community Development at Negahneewin College.

"Centres like these are important for us because of the skills, knowledge, and expertise they offer the region and its businesses," she explains. "When businesses are looking to relocate, their primary concern is having a skilled workforce."

She says the college was prepared to invest in these sectors to promote further growth. By doing this, she says both students and businesses began working toward similar goals. Businesses were able to teach the students the skills they needed to succeed in specific sectors, and the businesses in turn have access to a skilled workforce.

In her role as president, Lang was able to raise the $17 million needed from the federal, provincial, municipal and private sector to build and equip the Aviation Centre.

"Lang's work with the senior levels of government and the private sector has positioned Confederation College as a cornerstone of an innovative and diversified economy in the northwest," says FedNor's Rob Stinchcombe.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

One of the most sophisticated facilities of its kind in North America, the Aviation Centre is an asset toward attracting new businesses to Canada, and is involved in the economic growth of the local airport.

"The aviation (centre) provides the link between industry and education," says Derek Brandt, Thunder Bay's manager of Tourism and Economic Development.

"The centre will prove to be a great asset for us because most businesses are looking for skilled labour ... its graduates' basic skills are transferable to other work areas," he adds. "We are trying to get a company that makes high-tech products to locate here, and they could use these graduates."

Lang also helped to create the college's Forestry Centre, which is the hub of the region's forestry education, training and research activities.

The centre provides graduates with the skills needed within the industry to develop, and to build and maintain the sector's competitive position.

"Forestry and aviation are key industries in our region," says Lang. "Through these two education initiatives we are taking post-secondary education and training programs to a whole new level, and are playing a greater role to position northwestern Ontario for economic growth."

Lang has also contributed to the economic wealth, employment and growth in the region through her work with the Voyageur Panel, a progressive economic development group, which recognized the need to establish educational training standards and to ensure the supply of skilled trades, technical and administrative support.

Visiting a number of communities across the northwest in her capacity as president, Lang holds community panels to speak with local business, social service and municipal leaders to determine what the college can do more effectively to meet the needs of the region.

While she worked in a number of management positions at Georgian College for the over 15 years, including being appointed as vice-president, academic and student services, Lang was relatively unknown in Thunder Bay when she arrived at Confederation College.

To succeed at her goals, the new president needed to create contacts with the business and government representatives. In her first six months, Lang visited over 200 business and community leaders.

"Within a very few days of her arrival, Pat was visiting my office to introduce herself and promote the college," says Donald Paterson, president of the Paterson Foundation. "This was not a one shot deal. Pat visited my office at least three times in her first two years in Thunder Bay. Impressive? Yes. Successful? Absolutely. The college is very high on my list for support in this community."

Educated as a nurse at the University of New Brunswick, Lang says many of the skills she developed in her former career caring for the health of individuals has helped in her work caring for the college community and the Thunder Bay community.

By Dean Lisk

For Northern Ontario Business