Digital Accessibility Specialist Microcredential Program at The Chang School will help build a more inclusive and skilled workforce

Five new microcredentials are being designed with support from the Government of Ontario

TORONTO, March 30, 2022 /CNW/ - The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education (The Chang School) at Ryerson University is pleased to announce the development of the Digital Accessibility Specialist Microcredential Program, supported through $300,000 in funds from the Ontario Microcredentials Challenge Fund. The new program will upskill existing employees in the area of digital accessibility to support more inclusive and barrier-free digital environments for all Ontarians.

The program will consist of five microcredentials designed by The Chang School to help learners develop proficiency in identifying and addressing digital accessibility requirements. In addition to providing learners with valuable skills to increase their employment prospects, the Microcredential Program will help support a more disability inclusive workforce, moving Ontario closer to reaching its goal of becoming fully accessible by 2025.

"At The Chang School, we are firmly committed to offering programs and support services that help learners build their capacity to integrate into a socially progressive innovation economy," says Gary Hepburn, dean of The Chang School. "Support from the Ontario Microcredentials Challenge Fund enables us to collaborate with leading community partner organizations to develop five unique microcredentials that will both address the skills gap in digital accessibility and foster a more inclusive, barrier-free workforce."

The microcredential program is designed to be highly responsive to the needs of Ontario's workforce, including employers and jobseekers. Labour-market relevance is achieved through collaborative partnerships with community partner organizations CivicActions and ACCES Employment. Contributions from experts and employers means the Microcredential Program will assist companies and organizations to upskill employees and create a highly skilled labour force that will ultimately help rebuild the post-pandemic economy.

"CivicActions is proud to partner with The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University to bolster digital accessibility across all products and services. We're committed to building a more inclusive world through technology, and partnerships like these are one of the valuable ways we're making it happen," says Mike Gifford, drupal accessibility maintainer and accessibility strategist at CivicActions.

"ACCES Employment is proud to be supporting The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education to help inform the development of The Chang School's Digital Accessibility Specialist Microcredential program," says Allison Pond, president and chief executive officer of ACCES Employment. "This program will provide participants with the knowledge and expertise to ensure their workplaces and workplace materials are accessible for all individuals. ACCES will support the development of this program to make sure everyone has a chance to contribute and that no one is left behind."

Ryerson University is Canada's leader in innovative, career-oriented education. Urban, culturally diverse and inclusive, the University is home to more than 46,000 students, including 2,900 Master's and PhD students, 3,800 faculty and staff, and over 225,000 alumni worldwide.

At The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University, we're transforming university continuing education. With 1,500 course offerings and over 80 career-related certificate programs including Data Analytics, Big Data, and Predictive Analytics, Project Management, and Occupational Health and Safety, we're addressing the needs of continuous learners across Canada and internationally. Our comprehensive support services, highly experienced instructors, and strong connections to industry help learners develop their capacity to contribute to a socially progressive innovation economy. In alignment with learners' preferences for flexibility, all of our courses may be completed online. For more information, visit continuing.ryerson.ca.

SOURCE Ryerson University

Media contact: Jessica Leach, Ryerson University, 416-704-2166, [email protected]