Fleming College

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF CANADIAN COMMUNITY COLLEGES:

Ottawa, ON, March 3, 2014 – The Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC), the Canada-India Water Training Consortium (CIWTC), and ReserWater Innovation Foundation (RWIF) have signed an Agreement of Cooperation to enhance workforce capacity and planning through skills development in the water sector. The three organizations will collaborate with Indian stakeholders to support the sharing of water sector knowledge, expertise, and products with Indian institutions.

“Through its experience in other international development projects, ACCC understands the importance of advanced skills to the management of clean and safe water resources,” said Denise Amyot, ACCC CEO and Chair of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics. “ACCC is pleased to partner with ReserWater and the Canada-India Water Training Consortium on this initiative.”

This agreement will focus on the water sectors in India in order to build capacity in technical and vocational education and training that leads to employment and economic opportunities. CIWTC’s four colleges have extensive experience providing water sector skills to employers in Canada and abroad. 

“We look forward to this ‘high LIFE impact’ partnership between India and Canada,” said Pankaj Saran, Vice-Chairman, ReserWater.

As part of activities of the State Visit to India by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, ACCC and India’s National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at developing projects and programs to promote needed skills development in India. This agreement is the first project launched under this framework.

Both India and Canada experience unique kinds of water challenges and both countries have much to offer one another in terms of innovative solutions to these challenges, which are all too common around the world. There are unique opportunities for both countries to benefit through this partnership.

“I am excited by the opportunity to work with Indian partners to share knowledge and work together to help Indian organizations build capacity for their water sector,” said Dr. Brent Wootton, Director of Applied Research for Fleming College and Lead, CIWTC. “This collaboration also allows us to learn Indian approaches to developing creative solutions to their water challenges.”

ACCC is the national and international voice of Canada’s publicly funded colleges and institutes, working with industry and social sectors to train 1.5 million learners of all ages and backgrounds at campuses serving over 3,000 urban, rural and remote communities from coast to coast to coast. ACCC and its members have extensive experience at the international level, sharing expertise through programs such as Education for Employment (EFE). ACCC is also the Secretariat of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics.

ReserWater Innovation Foundation is an All India non-profit Society that is establishing a fully integrated, multi-disciplinary research, innovation and skills platform focused on the water sector. Through ten Innovation centres of excellence and skills programmes it aims to transform the state of water sector in India, by capital formation, innovation throughput and creating a skilled workforce.

The Canada-India Water Training Consortium was created in 2012 and consists of Centennial College, Confederation College, Fleming College, Northern College, and the Ontario Clean Water Agency. The purpose of the consortium is to provide training and skills development for the purpose of growing the capacity of the water sector in India.

For more information contact:

Shawn Dearn
Director of Communications, ACCC
613-746-2222 Ext. 3123
Twitter: @ACCC_Comms