Building an Inclusive and Skilled Workforce

As our world has become increasingly digital, so too has the need to make it more accessible and inclusive for all. In order to achieve this, existing employees need to upskill in the area of digital accessibility to support accessible and inclusive digital environments.

To this end, The Chang School recently announced that it is developing the Digital Accessibility Specialist Microcredential Program with support from $300,000 in funds from the Ontario Microcredentials Challenge Fund. The program has five microcredentials designed by The Chang School to help learners identify and address digital accessibility requirements.

What Are Microcredentials?

If you aren’t familiar with microcredentials, they are defined by the Ontario government as rapid training programs offered by postsecondary education institutions across the province that can help you get the skills that employers need. Microcredentials help people retrain and upgrade their skills to find new employment. The Ontario government has committed to providing $15 million through the Ontario Micro-credentials Challenge Fund to accelerate the development of microcredentials and expand program offerings.

Supporting a Disability Inclusive Workforce

Beyond helping learners increase their employability, the Microcredential Program will help support a more disability inclusive workforce, bringing Ontario closer to becoming fully accessible by 2025. The Dean of the G. Raymond Chang School, Gary Hepburn confirmed the institution’s commitment to offering programs and support services that help learners build their capacity to integrate into a social progressive innovation economy. “Support from the Ontario Microcredentials Challenge Fund enables us to collaborate with leading community partner organizations to develop five unique microcredentials that will both address the skills gap in digital accessibility and foster a more inclusive, barrier-free workforce,” he said.

Lena Patterson, Program Director, Business Development and Microcredentials, said: “These microcredentials are designed to support digital accessibility upskilling in any workplace.

“We are fortunate to have external partner organizations and employers from multiple sectors involved to ensure the end result is relevant for continuous learners and meets the needs of any organization seeking to build a more inclusive future.”

To read more about the Microcredential Program, read the announcement. Stay tuned for more details coming soon.