By Erika Rolling

Post-Secondary

Micro-credential course created by NWP for Horse Lake First Nation initiative

Jun 28, 2022 | 4:10 PM

Short-term, flexible courses, known as micro-credentials are being offered at Grande Prairie’s post-secondary institution to benefit people in the region to be job-ready, without having to spend an entire semester studying.

In the fall of 2021, the Horse Lake First Nation approached Northwestern Polytechnic looking for a way to educate their community members with training programs to help support their Clear Hills Youth Treatment Centre initiative.

The project initially was to provide skills to equip staff and community members, but quickly expanded to include all the members of the Western Cree Tribal Council once the initiative was realized.

NWP created an Early Learning and Child Care micro-credential for the HLFN, which also became the first-ever micro-credential course the institution delivered.

Dean School of Business at NWP, Carly McLeod says the CD1050 credit course “will just introduce you to the theories and a little bit of information of what it’s like to work with children and give background on the creativity, art, storytelling, and music to really create a positive environment for the children in daycare centers.”

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The CD1050 credit course: Art, Music, and Story was turned into a micro-credential course through NWP’s Early Learning and Child Care and Indigenous Services departments working together to weave several Indigenous components into the content.

The ELCC micro-credential course was delivered to 20 students in the Western Cree Tribal Council by the Principal of the Horse Lake First Nation School and Director of Awais Day Care, Laura Tangen, who is also an NWP alumna.

Tangen said in a news release: “This course is successful because it removes the traditional walls of education and offers a unique experience that can be applied directly into programs.”

“This initiative was so successful because it allowed students to complete an entire course with minimal interruption to their daily routines and home lives,” she added.

Over three weekends in January and February, the course was taught face-to-face, with online readings and activities.

“We (NWP and Western Cree Tribal Council) were both very happy with the participation in the micro-credential as well as the success rate. I definitely think we have those individuals now that passed the micro-credential, that have their Level 1 certification, which is really great,” McLeod says.

“I think as we transition over as a polytechnic, I think we will see a greater array of really exciting micro-credentials that will serve the region’s workforce.”

Anybody is welcome to take CD1050 and students who complete the micro-credential can also apply to receive advanced credit towards the full ELCC academic program NWP offers.