In this episode of the EdUp Canada podcast, host Michael Sangster talks with Joe Leonhardt, a 25-year veteran in higher education, about skills, education, and leadership. Joe and Michael talk about how the restaurant business will teach you a lot about leadership. Joe emphasizes digital marketing skills and shares the importance of effective communication in leadership. He also expresses his passion for career education, specifically within the trades. Joe tells the inspiring story of his first student who, against all odds, found a path to success through higher education. The podcast concludes with Joe discussing the importance of encouraging and mentoring young leaders, as he sees a gap in this sector in today's world.  00:44 Guest Introduction: Joseph Leonhardt  01:20 The Importance of Digital Skills in Today's World  01:57 Exploring the Career Education Sector  03:06 Personal Experiences and Passion for the Sector  03:15 The Impact of Career Education on Families  04:20 Discussion on International Students and Enrollment  05:07 The Value Proposition of Career Colleges  13:08 The Role of Mentoring and Leadership in Career Education  16:07 The Importance of Communication in Leadership  18:37 Learning from Failures and Overcoming Challenges  22:55 The Power of Mentoring and Influence in Leadership  29:32 Closing Thoughts and Reflections    Read the full transcript here Bio: Joe Leonhardt is a 26-year veteran of career and higher education largely in enrollment management and campus operations executive roles. A lifelong student of leadership, today Joe teaches leadership as adjunct faculty in the MBA program at the University of Arizona Global Campus. He also serves as a Senior Account Executive at Advance 360 Education, a higher education digital marketing company. Finally, Joe has served as a college consultant and is currently an active board member for multiple organizations.  Leonhardt earned his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business from Indiana Wesleyan University and has received multiple leadership performance awards throughout his career.  Joe has been married to Melodie for 32 years, lives in Castle Rock, CO. and has two adult children. Joe is also a published author and podcaster. 

On this episode of the EdUp Canada podcast, hosted by Michael Sangster, explores the transformative role of skills and training in shaping successful careers. The episode features Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes reflecting on Canada's educational sector. Hughes and Sangster discuss   the challenges in the education sector, such as government changes affecting the international student program  maintaining student experience quality and academic integrity,   and fostering resilience in students.   The conversation also covers the concept of relentless welcome, diversity in student populations, ensuring truth in advertising for international students, and the potential damage to the reputations of educational institutions. Hughes shares her career journey and her greatest mentor, emphasizing the impact tutors can have on student lives. They both remain optimistic about the education sector's future despite the difficulties faced.     01:26 Discussion on International Student Program Changes  01:43 Exploring Strengths and Weaknesses of the Education Sector  02:10 Transforming Higher Education  02:18 Impact of Government's Announcements on Education  04:11 Challenges and Opportunities in the Education Sector  04:45 Importance of Academic Integrity  05:24 Preparing Students for the Future  06:31 Addressing Mental Stress in Education  07:33 Innovations in Learning Spaces and Pedagogies  08:23 Challenges and Opportunities in the Education Sector  08:54 Investments in Education and Technology  09:39 Addressing Truth in Advertising in Education  10:01 Reputation and Integrity in the Education Sector  13:57 Personal Career Path and Mentorship  17:33 Reputational Issues in Post-Secondary Education  23:02 Toronto Film School: A Case Study  31:14 Closing Remarks and Future Directions    Bio: Yorkville University’s Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, PhD, is a globally recognized academic innovator who is passionate about the transformational power of post-secondary education to change lives and improve society. As President and Vice Chancellor of Canada’s largest private university, she has played a pivotal role in committing Yorkville to mentoring the next generation of ethical, highly skilled and socially conscious business leaders, psychotherapists, educators, and creative storytellers and designers. Under Dr. Christensen Hughes’s visionary leadership, Yorkville – which boasts campuses in Vancouver, BC, Toronto, ON, and Fredericton, NB – has become a hub for innovative approaches to accessible education, with distinctive capabilities in the creation of an exceptional student experience, high-demand and career-relevant programs, leading student recruitment, and high-quality faculty.  Dr. Christensen Hughes’s published work includes the co-edited books Academic Integrity in Canada: An Enduring and Essential Challenge (2022); Taking Stock 2.0: Transforming Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2022); Taking Stock: Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2010); and Curriculum Development in Higher Education: Faculty-Driven Processes and Practices (2007). Her most recent journal articles have focused on the need to better align university rankings and faculty research with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

In this episode of the EdUp Canada podcast, host Michael Sangster is joined by special guest Nik Nanos, the Chief Data Scientist with Nanos Research. They discuss the evolving needs of the labour market, the importance of seeing oneself as a lifelong learner, and the role of international students in Canada's prosperity. The conversation also covers the vital role that post-secondary education institutions play in society.     01:50 The Journey of Starting a Company  03:02 The Challenges and Rewards of Family Business  03:37 The Importance of Lifelong Learning  10:29 The Role of International Students in Canada's Labor Market  15:39 The Value of Admitting What You Don't Know  17:43 The Art of Disagreement and Decision Making  18:11 The Importance of Challenging Ideas and Creating Safe Spaces  19:47 The Power of Networking and Learning from Others  25:52 The Value of Post-Secondary Education and Skilled Trades  28:17 The Role of Politicians and Public Service  32:13 Closing Thoughts and Reflections  Read the full transcript here Bio for Nik Nanos  Chief Data Scientist, Nanos Research  In 1987, Nanos founded the firm which does research in Canada and around world. He leads the team behind the weekly Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index, a must-have resource for senior executives, and is featured in a weekly segment on CTV’s News  Channel, Nanos on the Numbers, which explores the latest political, business, and social trends. Nanos’ analysis has also been featured in most major news organizations, including Bloomberg News, the Globe and Mail, CTV News, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, the BBC, and The Guardian.  The author of The Age of Voter Rage which unpacks populist politics in the United States, Canada, France and the United Kingdom, he is a regular contributor to the Globe and Mail. His monthly Data Dive analysis explores the latest social, economic, demographic and political trends.  In addition, he is a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC; chair of Atlantik Brücke Canada, a non-profit focused on advancing Canada- Germany relations; a Fellow at the Canadian Research and Insights Council and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society; and one of 20 honorary captains in the Royal Canadian Navy.  He is also the Past Chair of Carleton University.  He is a graduate of Queen’s University with degrees in history, political studies and an MBA. In 2023, Nik was appointed a member of the Order of Canada. 

On the EdUp Canada Podcast, host Michael Sangster interviews policy wonk Mike Moffatt, expert in housing and community issues. They discuss how the growth of international students at certain institutions has had significant impacts on local housing markets and communities. Moffat emphasizes that the students themselves are not creating the issues, but that it stems from policy and planning oversights. Moffat shares his views in light of recent changes, welcoming policy interventions from the federal government and suggesting a more place-based approach. He is optimistic about the new strategies being implemented to address the challenges. Moffatt also emphasizes the value of mentorship and how his personal life experiences have influenced his professional journey. 00:00 Introduction to the EdUp Canada Podcast 01:52 Meet Mike Moffatt: Economist, Policy Wonk, and Housing Expert 12:37 The Role of International Students in Canada's Housing Crisis 21:23 The Need for Better Planning and Policy in Housing 27:58 Mentoring Moments View the full transcript here: Bio: Mike is the Founding Director of the PLACE Centre. Mike’s research focuses on the intersection of regional economic development, building child-friendly, climate-friendly housing and communities, and clean innovation. In 2017, Mike was the Chief Innovation Fellow for the Government of Canada, advising Deputy Ministers on innovation policy and emerging trends. 

An organization doesn't make it to be over 100 years old by being mediocre.     And that's certainly true for career colleges across Canada.     That's why Victor Tesan is on the show today. On this episode, we'll unpack  * How they started radio in British Columbia   * How career colleges are always adapting to the needs of today  * All the hoops they *actually* jump through (it's more than you think)  And much more on this episode of the EdUp Canada podcast    ⁠Read the full transcript here⁠    Victor Tesan, President of Sprott Shaw College, is a strategic and operational leader with 30 years of experience in the education sector. Victor has held the position of President for some of the largest regulated career college providers in the country and is also the current Chair of the National Association of Career Colleges.  He has held leadership and executive roles in numerous other sector groups and community associations such as the British Columbia Career College Association, Famee Furlane of Vancouver, and the Burnaby District Youth Soccer Association. Victor remains both a coach and community volunteer to this day.       A graduate of both the public and private educational system in British Columbia, Victor has a proven history of building successful and sustainable organizations where culture, values, and community engagement are at the forefront. 

* Please note that this episode was recorded before the Minister of Immigration's January 22nd announcements* In part two of our special 'Back to Parliament' episode, Ginny Roth, Kathleen Monk and Marlene Floyd unpack what career education institutions can expect in this round of Parliament, how career education fits into the different party's agendas and how immigration announcements could affect institutions. Read the full transcript here Bio for Kathleen Monk   Kathleen Monk is a seasoned strategist and a veteran of numerous federal and provincial political campaigns. She served as director of communications to the late Jack Layton, serving as spokesperson and war-room director for the historic 2011 federal campaign. An award-winning communicator Kathleen has directed campaigns recognized internationally for their advertising and media relations. This included a prestigious Campaign & Elections Reed Award in 2020, a Platinum MarCom award in 2019 and an International Golden Quill award in 2020. Now President of Monk + Associates, Kathleen works with business and civic leaders to build strategies to secure public affairs victories.  Before entering her career in politics, Kathleen worked in newsrooms in Toronto, Ottawa, and Washington, D.C.       Kathleen is an active board member of CIVIX, a non-partisan charity dedicated to building engaged citizenship among young Canadians, and a member of the Advisory Council of the Canadian Institute for Global Affairs. She holds an MSc in Politics and Communication from the London School of Economics.      Bio for Ginny Roth   Ginny Roth is a Partner at Crestview Strategy based in Toronto.   Ginny serves as the agency of record for many of the largest food and beverage, consumer-packaged goods, pharmaceuticals, and extractive industries in the world. Advising multinational corporations, domestic companies, and non-profits on government relations in Canada, she is a sought-after political commentator.    Appearing as a frequent panelist on major television and radio outlets, Ginny is also a contributor to The Hub and National Post. Ginny was the recipient of The Peak’s 2021 Emerging Leaders award. Prior to joining the Crestview Strategy team, Ginny worked at Queen’s Park as an organizer for the Progressive   Conservative Party of Ontario and has been a lifelong political activist. Ginny brings experience as a former staffer and political campaigner, managing a team of professionals serving clients in every jurisdiction in Canada.   Ginny holds a Combined Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Contemporary Studies from the University of King’s College in Nova Scotia.         Bio for Marlene Floyd   Marlene Floyd is one of Canada’s leading government affairs professionals with over 20 years working in business, government and the not-for-profit sector. mMarlene was responsible for the execution of national stakeholder engagement and outreach campaigns while serving as the Director of Operations and Outreach to the Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau in the lead up to the 2015 federal election. Marlene has previously worked as a partner in a government and public affairs firm and has served as an advisor to Prime Ministers and several federal Ministers on a diverse range of public policy matters. An avid volunteer, Marlene sits on and Chairs several national and community boards and is the founder of Dress for Success Ottawa. For her career and community achievements, Marlene has been a recipient of a Forty Under 40 award, Y Women of Distinction award and a Leading Women Building Communities award from the province of Ontario. 

On this special 'back to Parliament' episode of EdUp Canada Michael is joined by Kathleen Monk, Marlene Floyd and Ginny Roth. Each of them brings a wealth of political, communications and government relations to the table. In this part 1 episode, they explore * Why 'not being a jerk' is an important skill * What skills are in high demand in this labour market * How if you need to explain something in more than 5 slides you've lost them * Which mentors have mattered most in their lives and careers And much more This is a part one of two episode Read the full transcript here Bio for Kathleen Monk  Kathleen Monk is a seasoned strategist and a veteran of numerous federal and provincial political campaigns. She served as director of communications to the late Jack Layton, serving as spokesperson and war-room director for the historic 2011 federal campaign. An award-winning communicator Kathleen has directed campaigns recognized internationally for their advertising and media relations. This included a prestigious Campaign & Elections Reed Award in 2020, a Platinum MarCom award in 2019 and an International Golden Quill award in 2020. Now President of Monk + Associates, Kathleen works with business and civic leaders to build strategies to secure public affairs victories.  Before entering her career in politics, Kathleen worked in newsrooms in Toronto, Ottawa, and Washington, D.C.     Kathleen is an active board member of CIVIX, a non-partisan charity dedicated to building engaged citizenship among young Canadians, and a member of the Advisory Council of the Canadian Institute for Global Affairs. She holds an MSc in Politics and Communication from the London School of Economics.    Bio for Ginny Roth  Ginny Roth is a Partner at Crestview Strategy based in Toronto.  Ginny serves as the agency of record for many of the largest food and beverage, consumer-packaged goods, pharmaceuticals, and extractive industries in the world. Advising multinational corporations, domestic companies,and non-profits on government relations in Canada, she is a sought-after political commentator.   Appearing as a frequent panelist on major television and radio outlets, Ginny is also a contributor to The Hub and National Post. Ginny was the recipient of The Peak’s 2021 Emerging Leaders award. Prior to joining the Crestview Strategy team, Ginny worked at Queen’s Park as an organizer for the Progressive  Conservative Party of Ontario and has been a lifelong political activist. Ginny brings experience as a former staffer and political campaigner, managing a team of professionals serving clients in every jurisdiction in Canada.  Ginny holds a Combined Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Contemporary Studies from the University of King’s College in Nova Scotia.      Bio for Marlene Floyd  Marlene Floyd is one of Canada’s leading government affairs professionals with over 20 years working in business, government and the not-for-profit sector. mMarlene was responsible for the execution of national stakeholder engagement and outreach campaigns while serving as the Director of Operations and Outreach to the Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau in the lead up to the 2015 federal election. Marlene has previously worked as a partner in a government and public affairs firm and has served as an advisor to Prime Ministers and several federal Ministers on a diverse range of public policy matters. An avid volunteer, Marlene sits on and Chairs several national and community boards and is the founder of Dress for Success Ottawa. For her career and community achievements Marlene has been a recipient of a Forty Under 40 award, Y Women of Distinction award and a Leading Women Building Communities award from the province of Ontario. 

AI, Big Data, Machine Learning...They're all here whether we like it or not. And a field they are on the edge of disrupting is higher education. However, it may not be how you think or even worry about it. How will these fields disrupt higher education? Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd is here to speak to that. On this episode, you'll hear about: * Using student data for their benefit * How we can send completion rates for programs skyrocketing * Is there a world where you could complete a college course in a week? All that, and more on the EdUp Canada podcast Read the full transcript here Stephen Murgatroyd, PhD is the former Dean of Athabasca University’s Faculty of Business and founder of the world's first fully online MBA. He has been an innovative pioneer of technology-enabled, flexible learning since he began his career at The Open University UK. Since he left full-time work at the university, Stephen has worked extensively in the private sector as CEO of a large UK human resource consultancy and then, back in Canada, as an entrepreneur leading consulting, technology, and publishing companies. He has consulted for governments across Canada and worldwide on technology innovation, higher education, organizational change, and transformation. He is the CEO of the Collaborative Media Group Inc and an in-demand keynote speaker. He has published over forty books, four hundred papers, articles, and book chapters.

It’s no secret that partnerships are a key to success in any industry. That’s equally true in career education...but just how significant are they? What can they deliver? How does it set students up for success? On today’s episode, Henry Devlin of Summit2 explains how their partnerships drive student success in expected, and unexpected ways. Bio: Henry Devlin co-founded Summit2 in 2018, an organization that now includes Willis College in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta, and CBBC Career College in Nova Scotia. Henry began his career in 1988 in a Toronto-based College and has since held titles such as Director of Admissions, Campus Director, Director of Operations, COO and CEO at a variety of schools and now as a College Owner. His extensive experience in all facets of private vocational education allows him to have a unique perspective on developing college programs that are skills-based and employment-focused. He takes great pride in the fact that the entire team at Summit2 gets the privilege of helping to change the lives of its graduates through education.  Read the full transcript here

Newcomers come to Canada for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is to learn. When they do come to learning institutions they also teach along the way. That's what our guest, Muraly Srinarayanathas, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of ⁠369 Global⁠ and Michael Sangster, CEO of the National Association of Career Colleges get into on this episode of EdUp Canada. This episode is for you if * You want to learn how to set your company up for success in hiring and retaining newcomers * You want to hear about the ROI on giving back and being involved in the community * You want to learn about the tenacity of newcomers to Canada and what they can teach others through their skills and experiences All that, and more on this episode of the EdUp Canada podcast Read the full transcript here Muraly Srinarayanathas is a serial entrepreneur and global strategist. He serves as the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of 369 Global, an international group of companies in the education, finance, creative, entertainment, and venture capital sectors. Muraly is considered a specialist in consumer culture and the immigrant market, namely for his unique immigration journey, international experience, and rich data collection from the business entities he leads.  Muraly is the son of first-generation immigrant parents. He was born in the United Kingdom but spent much of his life unbounded by borders and lived in Europe, Asia, and North America. For over 25 years, he worked closely with immigrants in their local communities and built several successful businesses from the ground up across the globe.  Gleaned from his global experience, Muraly recognizes the power of diversity and the need for brands to prioritize both global consumer culture (GCC) and local consumer culture (LCC) principles to connect with diverse audiences. Whether it’s a local woman living in Kolkata, India, or an immigrant woman from Kolkata, India, living in Waterloo, Ontario, Muraly understands how organizations can leverage consumer insights to attract, communicate, and build long-term relationships with local and global audiences, and ultimately scale businesses from the ground up.  Muraly is a strong believer in the power of philanthropy and launched his first social purpose business under the guidance of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He continues to apply a borderless perspective to bring diverse groups of people together around a common goal.  Muraly leads powerful initiatives that aim to create a sustainable and equitable future for all. As the Executive Chairman of 369 Global, he globalizes public and private sector leaders from around the world and forms partnerships to support local, national, and international growth. As the Chief Executive Officer of Computek College, a leading career college of 30+ years, Muraly helps train thousands of newcomers and immigrants to become job-ready and life-ready in Canada. Through 369Konnect, an integrated marketing agency, he helps brands attract and meaningfully connect with diverse consumers.  Because giving back is a core focus of the group, Muraly also helps protect and improve holistic outcomes for underrepresented global communities through the Srinarayanathas Foundation, a charitable foundation with a hundred-year legacy.