Home » Chatham-Kent Local News » Mayor discusses post-secondary need for C-K
Mayor discusses post-secondary need for C-K
Chatham-Kent Council recently approved a motion to form a committee, which will focus on looking into the possibility of a Technical University for Chatham-Kent.
The vote on the recommendations was unanimous, except for one.
Mayor Randy Hope voted against the motion.
“It just delays the process,” Hope said. “You don’t need to be something sanctioned by Council in order to do that.”
Although Hope said he was against the formation of the committee, he’s 100 per cent behind pursuing post-secondary institutions for the community.
“I totally support the issue of post-secondary education, working with universities… a number of us are doing work with universities right now to lure them into the Chatham-Kent area,” he said. ”We believe its important for our community growth that we support post secondary education,” Hope said. “We’re seeing communities across Canada that have universities and colleges that are expanding and populations that are growing… there is innovative technology being surrounded by those campuses.”
Hope added: “In order for Chatham-Kent to diversify and to change its directions from manufacturing and purely agricultural, we need agricultural innovation and manufacturing innovation. We need the other technical schools that are associated with becoming a global market player in the global economy.”
Bob
February 13, 2012 at 3:37 pm
Live together die alone. It may be overly dramatic, but in one case, council has voted to develop a committee to explore a new post secondary option for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent; in the other situation, the Mayor is stating that a group of people are already working with Universities. Anyone that has sat in on a meeting with the Mayor present, or read other sources locally knows he’s alluding to an international university related to the recent trip of local delegates overseas.
Which is it? This is a constant problem I’ve witnessed in Chatham-Kent. Our media has done an excellent job communicating the disjointed powers that work against each other within Municipal government. If we had one direction, one goal, and concrete methodology to achieve these tangible outcomes, we’d move forward.
We need to live together, because our population and personal sense of morale is dying alone.
copper
February 13, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Its too little too late,CK shouldn’t look for universities to come here, but to form a university under ministry of education guidelines. Using tax payers money in an effective manner. Basis of the Unversitiy should be advanced engineering, electronics, engineering management, computer science (cad cam, catia, and other media which is in demand today)and also business and commerce. This would help keep and attract people back to CK. Iam all for it even a tax increase to support such a venture. There are empty facilities which could be used to house the University if Money is a big question.Thats my opinion oh by the way I didnt expect the Mayor to approve the committy. As usual
Jim in Wallaceburg
February 13, 2012 at 6:32 pm
Hope is the lone wolf on this one – I guess because he feels he has everything well in hand. Lots of exploratory discussions to be had with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, other provincial departments and a host of others. Good on council for formally exploring this option in more detail – I look forward to your updates and recommendations.
Joel
February 13, 2012 at 8:16 pm
Maybe I’m taking something the wrong way but doesn’t his quote in the last paragraph make no sense….?
“in order for Chatham Kent to diversify and change it’s directions from manufacturing and purely agricultural, we need agricultural innovation and manufacturing innovation.”
Isn’t he just saying “hey let’s the change the things we are doing by doing the same things but do them differently and better!”
Chris Lozon
February 14, 2012 at 4:45 am
Fortunately Jim, it would appear our struggles to achieve agricultural innovation and manufacturing innovation haven’t yet impaired our electoral prowess.
South Kent Voter
February 14, 2012 at 5:16 am
I’m sorry but I’m still not clear on what a “Technical University” teaches its students. I thought community colleges were technical schools. St Clair College already does a great job of teaching technical trades (mechanics, robots, pneumatics, etc.) in Chatham, Wallaceburg, and in Windsor. What would this new one teach that St Clair College can’t?
Michael Cowtan
February 14, 2012 at 10:16 pm
It would offer four year degree programmes as opposed to two year diploma programmes.
Question
February 14, 2012 at 11:22 pm
Then why wouldn’t people just go to college?
Two year program vs. four year program, in a field dealing with “technical” thingamajings…sounds like a college program.
Fact: The next wave of workers entering the job market need post secondary educations.
Myth: That post secondary education must be from a University.
Rob
February 15, 2012 at 2:46 am
I believe the next wave of workers entering the job market, with or without a University degree need to be innovators, hard-workers and leaders.
The workers entering the job market today feel entitled… and with fewer jobs available, that’s not going to cut it regardless of how many certificates and diplomas and degrees they have. So yes, to get the slimmer pickings, those hiring will take the top candidates… but does that really mean the one who’s been through the “University/College assembly line”?
I don’t think so.
Instead of another college, I’d much rather see a serious Accelerator program being put in. You want to attract young tech-minded people here? The only thing you have to do is offer them a shot, and they’ll come.
Accelerator programs (not to be confused with their hippie-half-brother the “Incubator” who is happy to sit around in their common space and discuss their many big ideas till the cows come home) give young leaders mentors and a small bit of capitol and an even smaller bit of time to make it happen. Talent is recognized and recruited to bring a specific idea to market. It is a pressurized situation where instead of peer reliance, you thrive on peer pressure. It is not about sharing and talking about ideas, it is about bringing opportunity to young thought leaders and bringing ideas to life.
I believe it’s young leaders who work hard and find traction for new ideas that the world wants, and I think this is something that could be done anywhere. (Is this skill found in a University program, where you’re taught to think like everyone else does? – Where what you’re taught – is what’s been done before?)
Jobs? Economic growth? Put in an accelerator program and watch the best and brightest of the future flock here for their opportunity to succeed. You’ll soon amass a great group of people who together could launch some of the biggest wins of the future.
I will be hiring at some point in the near future, and I will not look for University degrees, and I will not look for people with ideas – because they’re both a dime a dozen. I will be looking for people who can put wheels on an idea and lead.
I want people who bash walls. And Chatham-Kent NEEDS people who bash walls.
Pg
February 15, 2012 at 4:56 am
Interesting food for thought Rob, I kind of see myself excelling in this type of environment. The only hesitation I have is that there are benefits to post secondary education that might get missed or downplayed. It’s a huge time of personal growth, maturation and learning to think critically. That process has many good benefits and are a crucial part of development. I think your idea would work best with people with a certain amount and types of life experiences to prepare them for success. Look at reality tv for a second. Throw young 20 something’s in a pressure packed situation and the ones with certain abilities tend to fare better.
Rob
February 15, 2012 at 5:27 am
Hi Pg,
I would agree that there are those who will excel through and benefit from a post-secondary experience. There are most certainly careers that will require that path. I’m not even suggesting that I’m against post secondary education at all. I’m just saying I’d be more interested in an Accelerator than a college for CK.
What I suggest is that if its young techies we want to attract – as it seems that is the buzz I keep hearing, perhaps focusing on an Accelerator would be a great way to grab the attention of the very people we’re hoping to attract rather than going through all kinds of round about methods. Let’s offer what these bright stand-outs really want – a shot at seeing their invention hit the market. Mentored by successful, well-connected individuals who take a stake in what is being done. Joining each other to fill in strengths where others are weak. And just enough capitol to get their product in the hands of a customer to see what happens.
We worry about CK not “having enough to do” or being cool enough to attract these people… but if our offer is a chance, that’s what they’re really after – cool nightclubs or not.
I don’t know… if it happened, and we pulled off a few wins, I see it becoming a place people felt they needed to be – just to be close to the action and hopefully land a role. People who are innovative, hard-working and hungry for a shot. That to me seems like a good target to start with.
Let’s be the place graduates GO after graduation, instead of the place they LEAVE after graduation.
Michael Cowtan
February 15, 2012 at 1:55 pm
How would you get such an animal up and running?
Chan Mac
February 15, 2012 at 10:41 pm
Easy… Find the well-connected individuals that Rob mentions and get them on board. Create a local angel investor network that’s focused on helping local innovators excel both with financial assistance, and more importantly, business assistance.
If it’s a good idea, they get funding and support. The company makes money, the funders make money through an equity stake in the startup, and CK has a success story. If it’s a bad idea, the angel investors shoot it down, the innovator goes back to the drawing board – no harm, no foul.
Brandon Houston
February 16, 2012 at 6:27 am
Rob and Chantielle hit the nail right on the head. The days of automotive providing security are long gone. Nothing any municipality or union can do will bring it back. Chatham-Kent is facing the problem of a lack of image. We don’t have a direction. While most people see that as a big problem, I see it as an opportunity. It means we have the ability to form CK into whatever we want. Tech is the fastest growing and broadest industries out there, so why not capture that. CK already has a great resource of hidden talent and has the potential to build some great things. Technical innovators and creative entrepreneurs have the potential to build some incredible things. If we were to provide a place for these individuals to build and offered the support they needed then CK can position itself as an innovative community. Just a few success stories would help to solidify that and it would attract outside entrepreneurs. With that follows the investors, the businesses, the culture and the strong economy.
It’s not a direction that provides an answer for everyone. It’s not the single solution to our jobless problem. It does however help to futureproof CK and establish the community as a strong innovator this side of Waterloo.
Doug J
February 16, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Great comments Brandon. I love the use of the new word “futureproof”
Pg
February 16, 2012 at 5:05 am
Ok, let’s keep this discussion rolling. I think this initiative would require a very smart and tactical marketing plan as this type of “program” or ” path” goes against the traditional pathways. Work route vs more school route. Work route is becoming a poor option unless your ok manning a fry station. What would want a get a young person to even attempt a path like this? What is the sell? What will I get? How will the rest of society recognize my achievement?
Chantielle Kennedy
February 16, 2012 at 2:06 pm
This discussion is taking place already, along with a business plan, marketing model, etc. But, as with anything, a big piece is funding – both to develop a space (incubator, accelerator, co-working, forum… whatever you want to call it) and to develop the people / companies that would want to use this space. So if anyone knows any “well-connected individuals” that are interested in participating, or if you’re a local innovator in need of support, email nicolef@groundfloorck.com – change needs to happen here, it’s just figuring out how to initiate it in a sustainable manner. The government can only do so much, it’s time for the rest of us to show some initiative too.
Marlee
February 16, 2012 at 2:18 pm
good thoughts – particularly Chantielle’s comment about “the rest of us showing initiative”. Too many people rely on government to do too much – then wonder why taxes need to rise to pay for things.
It was recently said, “if you can find it in the phone book, government should not be involved?”
Michael Cowtan
February 16, 2012 at 4:03 pm
How about an “Accelerator Trust” where individuals and corporations could invest in say $20 shares. Some people like me would be interested in purchasing a couple, others may be interested in buying a lot more.
I don’t altogether agree with your quote Marlee, but I do accept the general principal.
Rob
February 16, 2012 at 9:17 pm
Shhhh! Michael… it’s coming….
South Kent Voter
February 15, 2012 at 3:25 am
Exactly! I just hired two part-time employees and one thing that struck me was the sheer number of jobs that the applicants “under 25″ had in their short lives. In some cases over a dozen jobs in an 8-year span. I’m twice their age and have only had three. They have no loyalty and expect none in return. They will give you their all until something better comes along, and then they’re gone. Today’s generation just doesn’t have the attention span to devote to one career. It’s the difference between YouTube and a 2-hour movie. Kids today won’t watch anything over two minutes long because they don’t have the patience. I feel sorry for them in a way, but I also think employers (and teachers) need to change their expectations to fit this new normal.
Jody
February 14, 2012 at 3:31 pm
I’d love to see an Information Technology Campus in Chatham Kent, where you could start or grow your IT portfolio
Billyea
February 14, 2012 at 4:11 pm
I suspect the vact that Mayor Hope didn’t complete post secondary school is underlying his resistance to this idea.
Michael Cowtan
February 14, 2012 at 10:18 pm
The Mayor is not opposed to a University, on the contrary. Is it “try and score points on the mayor” day?
Billyea
February 16, 2012 at 1:55 pm
The mayor is acting as a barrier to the process by being the only one to vote against this positive proposal, split hairs if you like. Yes, I did take at shot at his claim to self taught higher education.
Andrew
February 15, 2012 at 4:37 am
The reality is these technical programs need to be initiated at the secondary level – not post secondary.
Without the early introduction of the basics, the students are not aware of what opportunities are out there.
Currently, most schools have dwindled their tech programs due to funding. With cultural pressure on students to attend university, the reality is in some cases college will offer the better career opportunity.
Michael Cowtan
February 15, 2012 at 8:57 pm
I really didn’t know whether I should post this on this thread, or the population in decline thread, it applies to both. It is from a piece on HuffPo by Gene Marks from Philadelphia.
“The secret to drawing business into any city? It’s the schools, stupid. The schools!
Everyone…everyone…wants what’s best for their kids. They want to send their kids to the best schools possible. They want their kids to do better than them, to go on to college, to be educated. Educated people succeed more in life than non-educated people.
If any city were to have a “world class” school system what would happen? People would move into the city because they’d want their kids to go to those schools. Big companies would be drawn into town because their employees could live in a place where they could send their kids to a great school system. Small businesses, like restaurants, dry cleaners and clothing shops would pop up all around to serve this growing population. Real estate prices would go up. Construction would increase. Balloons and confetti would rain down from the sky! And tax revenues would increase too. So a city could then pay for its infrastructure and its “business growth” initiatives, whatever they may be. ”
Not that I think our schools are bad, on the contrary. But it certainly would do no harm to see them even better, and to really celebrate their successes.