“Canada does not have enough workers for the future,” says Yvonne Kinley from Economic Development Winnipeg. Kinley joined Extended Education’s Acting Dean Rod Lastra and Program Manager Paul Jenkins for our Homecoming 2022 webinar.

According to Statistics Canada, all provinces except the Maritimes are continuing to experience low unemployment and our population growth has slowed, from  1.2 per cent in 2019 to .only 71 per cent in 2020. As well, the gap between the general population and the working-age population is growing.

“We need to build a sustainable talent pipeline. The goal is to create a robust economy to provide opportunities for the future. Investment follows talent,” says Kinley.

She explains that skilled workers earn higher wages and support economic growth. Manitoba businesses want to increase their ability to retain youth and attract skilled workers from other provinces. More skilled workers can attract more companies that create more jobs.

“There is a global shortage of talent.”

Understand employer need
To benefit from this shortage, graduates must understand what their potential employers need. Businesses are looking to increase their productivity and potential employees should showcase what they can do to support and improve business.

“Businesses love hiring UM grads. They have fantastic knowledge. But they are also wishing students had more chances for business experience and to develop skills you need to have for a job. Those are what we call the soft or power skills. The way to improve them is by sheer practice. Work opportunities are really important to gain skills. Businesses have a role to provide them,” says Kinley.

Retired professionals and fellow alumni can also mentor and create experience opportunities. “A lot of small businesses don’t have the opportunity to offer mentorships. In other countries, for example, they are tapping into the retirement community.”

She reminds grads that not all jobs require a degree from a specific faculty or school. For example, Arts and Science graduates looking for work should consider how to articulate their skills and how those skills might align with business needs. “Don’t just say you have an Arts degree in History. What can you do? That is so important. Translate what you are able to do into business language.”

Struggles to define skills
Understand that businesses are struggling to figure out their current operating models due to many factors: COVID-19, supply chain issues, international wars and conflicts. The move to working from home means any company can now poach local talent. Busy leaders are trying to figure out what they need and how to find it. Articulating this is a challenge because there is no common language for skills. And when it comes to post-secondary training with a large institution like UM, they are often unsure how to go about it.

That’s where Canada’s Skills Strategy comes in. But we don’t have one yet.

While other places like Singapore and the United Kingdom have a skills and qualifications framework and learning strategy, “Within Canada, there is no national strategy,” says Rod Lastra. “We need to work together to reimagine learning for a working world.”

Lastra highlights how the working world is changing from an industrial one to a digital one. “The transition will require upskilling and reskilling (continuing education). A major shift in skills is needed for economic development based on the requirements of industry,” he says.

The current labour market has its challenges. Unemployment of Indigenous, minorities, and adults 55 and older is high. Not everyone has equal access to reliable internet. Parents need childcare. Lifelong learning must be accessible and equitable, says Kinley.

The business community is interested in diversity and inclusion. And from a business perspective, lifelong learning involves more than just university. It’s not the university’s role to fill every need. The value to the employer is to be able to train a person in a short amount of time in order to increase productivity.

“It’s not as straightforward as taking a course and moving forward in your career.”

Paul Jenkins agrees, noting he often receives requests for faster and cheaper education options from partner organizations.

So, businesses need skilled workers. Graduates need skills. What are those skills and who needs to contribute in order for you to get them? The discussion continues.

In the meantime, post-secondary must prepare youth for work and grads have additional opportunities to embrace lifelong learning.

Be self-aware
For grads, being self-aware is very important, says Lastra. “To learn a lot of soft skills and apply critical thinking.

“The future is uncertain. It will include disequilibrium and disruption. It will require a greater collaboration between education and business, innovation in higher learning, and refining lifelong learning,” he says.

Graduates will need to upskill and reskill in order to succeed in their careers. But they are starting with a good foundation.

“It is surprising how much people don’t know about what we do know… You know more than you think you know.”

Take that knowledge, and build on it.

Watch the webinar 

It is the first time since 2019 that in-person events have returned, bringing back many of the traditional celebrations like the Rady Dean’s Homecoming Breakfast for University of Manitoba alumni and community. If you are unable to attend in person, there are some virtual options available as well. Come together and celebrate what it means to be part of the University of Manitoba community past, present and future.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE GALA

Date: September 22, 2022

Cocktails: 5:30 p.m.

Dinner:  6:30 p.m.

Location: Manitoba Room, UMSU University Centre

Join the UM community during Homecoming 2022 to celebrate the accomplishments of five remarkable UM alumni.

This year’s recipients are:

• Arnold Naimark [B.Sc.(Med.)/57, MD/57, M.Sc./60]
• Charlie Spiring [BComm(Hons)/80]
• Peter McPherson [B.Sc.(Hons.)/86, M.Sc./88]
• Pam Klein [M.Ed./83]
• Carly McLellan [BA/16, MD/20]

Learn more about the Distinguished Alumni Awards.

MAX RADY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

Class of 1972 Dr. Arnold Naimark Lecture in Medicine and Society

Date: Friday September 23, 2022

Time: 12:00 noon

Location: Frederic Gaspard Theatre, Bannatyne campus

“Mindfulness in Medicine”

Speaker:  Edward Berinstein [MD/72] is a Fellow in the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

His clinical work includes all facets of family practice. Dr. Berinstein’s introduction to Mindfulness

Medicine occurred in the 1970s when he arrived on BC’s Sunshine Coast. He began hosting meditation groups in the 1990s which led him to the work of Jon Kabitt-Zinn in 2003.

Dr. Berinstein trained at the Centre for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.

The lecture lecture can be viewed by livestream here: https://media1.cc.umanitoba.ca/TheatreA.html

For more info see the event listing.

DR. GERALD NIZNICK COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

UMDAA Alumni of Distinction Awards

Date: September 23, 2022

Cocktails: 6:00 p.m.

Dinner: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Fort Garry Hotel

The University of Manitoba Dental Alumni Association in partnership with the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and the University of Manitoba School of Dental Hygiene Alumni Association is pleased to present their annual celebration of alumni.

DEAN’S HOMECOMING BREAKFAST

Date: September 24, 2022

Registration: 8:30 a.m.

Program begins: 9:00 a.m.

Location: Brodie Atrium, Bannatyne campus

This event is open to Rady Faculty of Health Sciences alumni who are celebrating milestone reunions.

COLLEGE OF NURSING

College Tour and Reception

Date: September 24, 2022

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Location: Helen Glass Centre for Nursing, Fort Garry campus

Open to all nursing alumni. Tour of the College of Nursing including the simulation centre. Immediately following the tour there will be a reception with refreshments.

Invite your family and friends to come along to the many free upcoming events this year, including the Bisons football and soccer games on Saturday where staff can use code UMSTAFF22 to get two free tickets to both games. Students can use UMSTUDENT22 and alumni can use UMANALUMNI22 Make a day of it and attend the family-friendly events in the morning held by the Faculties of Engineering and Science. If Saturday doesn’t work for you, check out the free lectures hosted by the Faculty of Arts, the School of Art Gallery Exhibitions, Learning for Life, and more! A full event listing can be found here: Homecoming | University of Manitoba (umanitoba.ca).

President Michael Benarroch’s new podcast series What’s the Big Idea? is now live and can be found wherever you enjoy podcasts. Listen to the first episode with Nobel Laureate James Peebles [BSc(Hons)/58, DSc/89] and follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. 

Join this incredible community for an exciting time this Homecoming as we all to come together. Go Bisons!

• Dr. Arnold Naimark [BSc(Med)/57, MD/57, MSc/60] – Lifetime Achievement
• Charlie Spiring [BComm(Hons)/80] – Professional Achievement
• Dr. Peter McPherson [BSc(Hons)/86, MSc/88] – Academic Innovation
• Pam Klein [MEd/83] – Community Service
• Dr. Carly McLellan [BA/16, MD/20] – Outstanding Young Alumni 

Additional highlights of this year’s events include: 

• LinkedIn for Profile Building – Turn your profile into a recruiter magnet; Virtual: September 21, 2 p.m.
• Learning for Life – Special Homecoming Edition – virtual and in-person: September 22, 1 p.m.
• Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration of Excellence Gala: September 22, 5:30 p.m.
• In-Person Campus Tour: September 24, 10:30 a.m. Registration; 11 a.m. Departure 
• Bisons football game: September 24, 1 p.m. Tailgate; 2 pm. Kick-off 
• Bisons women’s soccer game:  September 24, 6:30 p.m.; Tailgate, 7:30 p.m. Kick-off
• Limited-edition UM Alumni swag for purchase and $1,000 BMO sponsored student tuition draw at the Bisons football and soccer games.
• Class reunions
• Many other events hosted by UM faculties, colleges, schools and departments.

Both alumni and staff can get free tickets to the football and soccer games using promo codes UMALUMNI22 and UMSTAFF22. Events are open to all, so check out the full schedule for Homecoming 2022 and register now!  

Asper alum Don Keatch [BComm/72], feels the collegiality and strong connection within the Commerce class of 1972 is thanks to the small number of students in the program at the time.  

“Old friends often lose track of each other, but I think we had a nucleus of people who knew one another and stayed in touch,” said Keatch. “When I look back at the class list of the people, out of the 105 graduates, we still have active track of about 70.”

Keatch is a member of the organizing committee for the Commerce class of 1972’s 50-year reunion. He can also claim a unique connection.

“I met my wife Sheila in second year Commerce,” said Keatch. “Since then, we have made a home in Winnipeg and raised a family that now includes grandkids here and in the Maritimes.”

Not only has the class of 72’ resulted in marriage, children and grandchildren as in Keatch’s case, but the class connection also resulted in a strong and growing level of support for future Asper School of Business students.

In 1997 at the 25th Class of 1972 reunion, the group decided they wanted to use their strong connection to give back. Alum Stu Breckon [BComm/72], said the group wanted to find a way to give back to the faculty that meant so much to them.

Commerce Class of 72′ – 25th Anniversary celebration

“The classmates decided that having the reunion was great, but it was also time we started thinking about giving back by creating a scholarship fund for future Commerce students,” noted Breckon. “By the end of the 25^th reunion, $34,000 was raised thanks to donations from the alumni that attended.”

The first award under the fund was given in 2001 in the amount of $1,000 and the scholarship awards have continued annually since then. According to the reunion site, since 2000, 67 Asper School of Business students have received awards with more than $77,000 given.

“Our Class of ’72 Scholarship Fund is by far the largest class fund at the Asper School. It is something our class should be very proud of,” said Breckon.

Most recently, in 2021, the Class of ’72 Scholarship Fund awarded six students with $11,000 worth of scholarships. This included an award of $2,000 named after Dr. John Mundie, Asper Dean Emeritus and Senior Scholar who passed away on April 23, 2020.

Keatch noted that it was important for the class to honour Dr. Mundie through this fund.

“Dr. Mundie was a great man,” said Keatch. “He was Dean of the School at the time and was so supportive of our class. And he attended all our all our reunion lunches and events up until he passed away.”

The first John Mundie scholarship was awarded to third-year Commerce student Lauren Bartlett.  Bartlett, a guard with the University of Manitoba Bisons Basketball team, is honoured to have received the scholarship.

Lauren Bartlett

“I am inspired by the ongoing commitment of the Commerce Class of 72’ to support students in the Asper School of Business,” said Bartlett. “This scholarship will allow me to focus on my academics and athletics this upcoming school year.”

—

The Commerce 72’ 50th year reunion takes place from September 16-18, 2022 and involves a range of activities including a classroom event on Friday at the Drake Centre with Bruno Silvestre, Dean of the Asper School of Business, Jerry Gray, Dean of the Asper School of Business from 1996-2004, Professor Emeritus Fred Starke and Senior Scholar Walter Good. The Friday “class” will be follow by a reception which will include Dr. Michael Benarroch, UM President, and former Dean of the Asper School of Business. Saturday events will include city tours and a lunch, capped off with a reception at the Niakwa Country Club to celebrate the 72’ Class and its Scholarship.

—

A look back at the Commerce Class of 72′ 40th anniversary.

• women’s soccer
• men’s and women’s basketball
• men’s and women’s volleyball
• men’s and women’s hockey
• football 

The promo code can be used for any game, including the eagerly anticipated Homecoming double header of football and women’s soccer on September 24. Now alumni and their families can come to as many games as they would like, thanks to the support of the UM Alumni Association. For upcoming game dates and to order your tickets using the promo code visit GoBisons.ca today!

Alumni will need to create an account on these platforms to obtain tickets, which is quick and easy.

Tickets for all games can be accessed on the GoBisons.ca website by clicking on the link “purchase tickets”. Alumni will need to create an account on these platforms to obtain tickets, which is quick and easy. For assistance on getting tickets, please contact Alumni Relations at: alumni@umanitoba.ca or 204-474-9946.

To enjoy more perks like this, make sure UM Alumni Relations has your current contact information. 

The vision of the Alumni Association is to inspire a proud, engaged and mobilized alumni community who are dedicated to being UM’s greatest ambassadors and advocates and who feel a strong sense of belonging and connection to the university as a source of lifelong enrichment. In addition to this sponsorship, the Alumni Association supports UM undergraduates and graduate students through a long-standing scholarship program. 

Dr. Alexander “Sandy” Mutchmor, a 1983 UM graduate, will be this year’s dentistry honoree when the Alumni of Distinction Awards gala is held at the Fort Garry Hotel on Friday, Sept. 23. 

At the same event, the UM School of Dental Hygiene Alumni Association will recognize the contributions of retired faculty member Mickey Emmons Wener by presenting her with an honorary Alumni of Distinction Award.

Mutchmor, who was born and raised in Winnipeg, first participated in dental organizations as a student and has stayed involved throughout his nearly 40-year career.

He was a longtime board member of the Winnipeg Dental Society and the Manitoba Dental Association, serving terms as president of both organizations. He gave back to UM by helping to teach fixed prosthodontics at the dental school for eight years.

He became Manitoba’s representative on the Canadian Dental Association board in 2011 and served as the organization’s national president in 2019-20. He is a fellow of the International College of Dentists and of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, a service organization of dentistry leaders.

Mutchmor, who practises as a general dentist, has chaired many task forces, working groups and committees, demonstrating tireless commitment to advancing and strengthening the profession.

“Sandy is a man of honesty and integrity – an inspiration to us all,” wrote his award nominator, Dr. Nancy Auyeung, director of continuing professional development at the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry.

Although Wener is not a UM alumna in dental hygiene – she earned her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene at the University of Kentucky – she has been an influential member of the profession in Manitoba since moving here in the 1970s. She holds a UM master’s degree in education.

Wener joined the UM School of Dental Hygiene faculty in 1978. She retired in 2012, having taught both dental hygiene and dentistry students. As an educator, she was committed to oral health promotion and community outreach. One of her initiatives was Soup Up Your Smile, an annual student outreach event for the homeless community.       

“Few dental hygienists have accomplished what Mickey has … when it comes to promoting social justice and equity in oral health-care services for vulnerable populations,” wrote Wener’s nominators for the award, Dr. Laura MacDonald, associate professor of dental hygiene, and alumna Carol Yakiwchuk.

Wener’s service to the profession included working to spearhead the passage of Manitoba’s Dental Hygienists Act in 2005. She became the first council chair of the newly established regulatory body, the College of Dental Hygienists of Manitoba.

She has published widely, presented at many conferences and remains active as a consultant. Her honours include the Distinguished Service Award from the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association.

Tickets for the Sept. 23 Alumni of Distinction Awards gala at the Fort Garry Hotel, honouring Mutchmor and Wener, can be purchased through the UMDAA website. The event will also pay tribute to the Classes of 1970 and 1972.  

The halls are bustling with masked students, Homecoming is in-person, the Bisons will play for fans again, and the coffee lines across campuses are longer as we begin an in-person Fall Term.

Thank you to everyone who is helping navigate these transitions and supporting our students and community. A thriving university is possible because each of us gives our best to work and learn and grow together.

That is why I value every opportunity to connect, and prioritized meaningful engagement throughout the pandemic. Now that we’re back in person, we’re building on what we’ve done before with an exciting month of in-person activities.

On Sept. 9, there are fun events planned across our campuses to celebrate the exceptional efforts of faculty and staff over the last few years.

Of course, Sept. 21-24 is Homecoming 2022, with something for everyone. Cheer on the Bisons at the free home-opener games, enjoy music from some incredible UM talent at the concert, celebrate at Indigenous Homecoming, or get inspired at the Distinguished Alumni Awards.Also this month, I’m excited to launch a new podcast series, “What’s the Big Idea?”, which features discussions with UM’s big thinkers including Dr. Marcia Anderson, Robert Mizzi and Dr. James Blanchard. The first episode is my interview with one of UM’s most prominent alum—Nobel Laureate and astrophysicist James Peebles. It’s out of this world! Listen wherever you enjoy podcasts starting Sept. 21.

Finally, on Sept. 28, I invite you to join my first President’s Town Hall where Mike Emslie, CFO and Comptroller, and I will present on UM’s financial health and budget process. I welcome this opportunity for dialogue on these important topics. Details will come out later this month.

It’s wonderful to see our community come together. Let’s continue to support our health and well-being by wearing masks indoors, respecting social distancing and staying home when we aren’t feeling well.

Thank you for all your contributions to our community. I wish you a healthy and successful Fall Term.

Dr. Farrell is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Brandon University and a proud UM alum, has presented at several national and international conferences on topics such as schools as caring ecologies, using arts-based approaches to better understand the emotional dimensions of climate change education and ecofeminist orientations to pedagogy.

She is passionate about fostering a caring ecology in the study of education. Her research focuses on teaching, leading, and learning in the face of the climate crisis.

Dr. Farrell was a recipient of the T. B. Greenfield National Dissertation Award from the Canadian Association for the Study of Educational Administration and the University of Manitoba Distinguished Dissertation Award for Social Sciences in 2018.

Homecoming Reception & Lecture “The Radical Promise of Education in the Face of Climate Change” presented by Dr. Alysha J. Farrell.

Date: September 21, 2022

Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Locations:

• Reception: Room 200, Education Building
• Lecture: Room 290, Education Building

Registration is required for both in-person and virtual options.

Please RSVP for the in-person event https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/403523769457

Virtual: After registering, you will receive a Zoom link to join in. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/403704279367