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IBT College Awarded Community Impact Award to Develop Innovative AR/VR Learning Platform
October 19, 2022
TORONTO: IBT College is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a Community Impact Award as part of the Government of Ontario’s Micro-credentials Challenge Fund.
As outlined in the Ontario Micro-credentials Challenge Fund Program Guidelines and Requirements (released April 2021), up to an additional $1 million may be awarded in each of four regions to applicants whose project(s) are successful, scalable, and have a significant community impact.
“IBT College is always seeking ways to innovate education. Online learning has changed the future. IBT College has made the investment to upgrade the learning opportunities of students across the province with our Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality platform and content creation. This is truly a step forward for Ontario,” states Joe Shokour, President of IBT College.
With Challenge Fund support, IBT College developed a complex Micro-credential Project: Home Support Worker Micro-credentials Leading to a Personal Support Worker (PSW) Diploma using Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality. The project supported the development of five individual Micro-credentials which will provide up-skilling to employees offering Home Support Care to address community staffing shortages experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Micro-credentials will provide online training and virtual reality simulations in dementia care, palliative care, safety and mobility, assisting with feeding, and measuring height, weight, and vital signs.
Through the Community Impact Award, IBT College will develop nine additional Micro-credentials. These additional modules will complete the theoretical portion of a Personal Support Worker diploma.
"IBT College is pleased to be awarded the Community Impact Award. Our unique AR/ VR platform and simulations bring online learning in healthcare to a whole new level. Our micro-credentials can be utilized by anyone in the province from family caregivers to healthcare companies seeking to up-skill their home support workers,” states James Rice, Vice-President of IBT College.
Micro-credentials bring flexibility and improved responsiveness to learner/job seeker and employer needs. A greater focus on Micro-credentials is required to support Ontario’s economic recovery and future prosperity.
“Expansion of these rapid training initiatives at IBT College will help learners develop in-demand skills so they can immediately contribute to a workforce that will deliver on Ontario’s most urgent priorities,” said Stan Cho, MPP for Willowdale. “From technology to health human resources, our government’s support of micro-credentials will help meet the local labour needs of North York, benefitting learners, and employers.”
The primary goal of the Ontario Micro-credentials Challenge Fund is to increase the number and types of Micro-credentials available across the province that respond to regional labour market needs while increasing collaboration between the private and public sectors through formal partnerships between postsecondary institutions, training providers, and employers.
The program is available online at www.ibtcollege.com. There are a number of ongoing Healthcare Career Expos planned over the next few months to introduce this new and innovative program to those interested in Health Care.
About IBT College
IBT College has been at the forefront of rapidly training Home Support Workers and Personal Support Workers. IBT College has made significant investments in online training tools that utilize augmented reality modeling and virtual reality simulations. The IBT Virtual Micro-credential Program offers a flexible learning program that makes it possible for students to upgrade their skills while continuing to work.
Media Contacts:
James Rice, Vice-President, IBTCollege
Tel: 416-963-1211
Email: james@ibtcollege.com
Katherine Haine, Communications, Citymedia.ca
Tel: 519-808-7878
Email: khaine@citymedia.ca
