By Maria Doty

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Free program at Vancouver Island University seeks to make education an option for all

Sep 1, 2022 | 1:21 PM

NANAIMO – Vancouver Island University’s Roberta Jenkins describes herself as a terrible student.

“I struggle with motivation, get bored quickly, have trouble completing assignments on time and often have trouble understanding course content without a lot of time or a lot of help to process it.”

Despite her struggles, Jenkins has spent most of her career in education. Because she faced challenges in her career path, she understands the barriers some students face. When VIU began planning a program to help students overcome barriers, she jumped at the chance to get involved.

She is now the Program Coordinator for Pathways to Post-secondary, a free program for adult learners who could benefit from extra help getting pre-requisites for post-secondary programs.

“Pathways represents a turning point in adult education, a re-imagining of what the learning experience can and should be,” says Jenkins.

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Pathways helps students who want to enrol in professional programs in three areas: health care, early childhood education, and science and technology.

To apply for Pathways, students must be enrolled in an adult basic education (ABE) or English as a second language (ESL) course. They also must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or refugee.

When students enter the Pathways program, they are assigned a Pathways Coordinator like Jenkins. The coordinator works with the student to put together an education plan that includes the pre-requisites they need to get into the program they want to attend.

Those pre-requisite courses will be tailored for their chosen career path. For example, if they are planning to take the Early Childhood Education program and they need to upgrade their English 12, their coursework will feature vocabulary they’ll use as an Early Childhood Educator.

“This is not your traditional ‘upgrading’ program, these are real skills for real jobs, right from the start,” Jenkins said. “The customized curriculum that connects directly to specific careers is a game-changer. Students will immediately see the benefit of what they’re studying to where they want to go.”

Students will be placed in learning pods with peers on a similar career path, creating a peer support network. Students will also be introduced to faculty in the program they plan to attend.

“Many students struggle with the transition from ABE to post-secondary programs, where they may feel anonymous or invisible,” Jenkins said. “Meeting faculty before moving into those programs helps students feel seen and understand that they are already valued members of the community. This gives them the confidence to hit the ground running.”

Students will receive free supports through Pathways along every step of their education journey, from getting the pre-requisites they need until graduation.

Pathways received $551,500 in funding from the BC Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training, because the program will help students succeed in areas where there is a need for skilled workers.

This includes jobs in nursing, health care assistance, dental hygiene, early childhood education, engineering, web and mobile development, and computer science.

Pathways is currently accepting applications for September, and Jenkins is eager to work with students.

“Everyone has the capacity to learn and to succeed. If I can play a small part in making that easier for Pathways students, then the program has been effective.  I am so excited to be part of this revolutionary program, especially to have the privilege to walk alongside students as they pursue their dreams.

For more information about Pathways, email Roberta Jenkins at Roberta.Jenkins@viu.ca.