Confederation College Celebrates 10 Years of Community Integration through Cooperative Learning Program

THUNDER BAY, ON, August 26, 2022 – Confederation College celebrated the 10 year anniversary of the Community Integration through Cooperative Education (CICE) program last night.

CICE is a personalised, assisted learning program tailored to fit each students academic needs. The program was designed to help anyone with learning, social and/or intellectual challenges find ways to overcome them. Students take classes to learn skills for life and work before attending a supervised field placement where they acquire work experience and learn essential workplace skills needed to help build their resumes. In the ten years since the program began, Confederation College increased seats available, as well as expanded the program to the Dryden, Fort Frances and Kenora campuses.

"The program has grown tremendously over ten years," explained Shane Strickland, Dean of the School of Health, Negahneewin and Community Services. "We're up to 21 seats in Thunder Bay and offer the program at multiple regional campuses. It is amazing to see how CICE played such a big role in the students lives."

To celebrate the ten year milestone, all current and former students who graduated from the program were invited to a reunion event in Ryan Hall. Over 115 attended the event, with representation from each cohort, as well as from students who attended the program outside our Thunder Bay campus and some family members.

"We are incredibly proud of our CICE students and what they have accomplished in the time since they have completed the program," said said Rose Hankkio, Lead Integration Facilitator. "It's great to see so many of the students here, together, and learn about the goals that they have accomplished since graduation and where they are today."

The reunion highlighted the accomplishments, dedication and success of students in Thunder Bay and the region. Both current and former students took part in dinner, activities, music and dancing to celebrate the milestone.

The program is currently waitlisted for Fall 2022, but interested applicants can email Rose Hankkio for more information, rhankkio@confederationcollege.ca.