Nicole Neufeld (University of Northern British Columbia) on Learning to Lead in a Sustainable World

On today’s episode of the Illumination by Modern Campus podcast, podcast host Shauna Cox was joined by Nicole Neufeld to discuss embedding sustainability into curriculum design and creating industry-informed, flexible microcredentials. 

Transcript

Shauna Cox (00:02):Nicole, welcome to the Illumination podcast. I'm so glad you could join me today.

Nicole Neufeld (00:06):Thanks for inviting me. It's always exciting to be able to join anything that evolution does.

Shauna Cox (00:12):Amazing. Thank you so much. So we're here to talk about driving sustainability in higher ed, which I think is a very important topic, giving the landscape of higher ed right now. And I want to kick off our conversation by first asking, what does sustainability mean for working professionals in the labor market?

Nicole Neufeld (00:31):Well, that's an interesting one because realistically sustainability is no longer a niche concept. It's now an essential skillset for today's workforce. So when you look across the industries, professionals are being asked to integrate sustainable practices into their daily work, whether you're through responsible resource management, carbon footprint reduction, or energy efficient operations. Employers are starting to prioritize sustainability expertise, not just as a corporate responsibility measure, but as a competitive advantage, which makes it a different market for our learners. Now, regulations are tightening, consumer expectations are shifting, and businesses are recognizing that long-term success depends on environmentally and socially responsible practices. So in terms of professionals, this means staying ahead of these trends, continuously learning and ensuring their skills remain relevant in an evolving labor market. If we talk about Western Canada here, resource-based industries such as forestry, mining and energy are under increasing pressure to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship. Your indigenous LED initiatives are shaping new approaches to land management, emphasizing sustainability and reconciliation. Meanwhile, the tourism industry is completely changing. It's starting to respond to the growing demand for eco-friendly experiences, and the operators are now shifting into conservation methods trying to reduce the impact their businesses have and really change their business models. So as all these different industries start to evolve, continuing education must play a critical role in equipping that workforce with the skills needed to navigate through this transformation.

Shauna Cox (02:09):Absolutely. And I just want to expand on that because I think a lot of what you stated there answered my second question of why is it so important for sustainability to be included in those professional continuing education programs?

Nicole Neufeld (02:22):Well, the reality is professionals need to adapt faster than ever. Sustainability is not just about protecting the planet, it's about the resilience in the face of rapid change. And if anyone's paying attention to the political system, you're noticing we are going through an era of rapid change. Right now, businesses are starting to feel the pressure of this shifting policy. We're seeing evolving consumer demands and the financial risks of unsustainable practices are making it so sustainability is at the forefront now. Continuing education really plays a critical role in equipping professionals with the tools they need to stay competitive. So for example, project management courses being offered through continuing education units incorporate sustainable development principles that help professionals minimize their environmental impacts while maximizing their resource efficiencies. New leadership programs have a sustainability focus that can guide business leaders to make strategic decisions that align with environmental and social goals. So by embedding sustainability into our programming, we're ensuring that our learners don't just meet industry standards, but they actually start defining them. So offering these opportunities through continuing education enables you to do it in a flexible, accessible format such as online or hybrid. This empowers the workforce to be prepared for the challenges of tomorrow. As industries across Canada embrace sustainability, continue education will be the leaders and the expertise needed for professionals to lead this transformation.

Shauna Cox (03:53):I love the way you phrased that, and I want to touch on the building on the sustainability and kind of get down to the tactical things and ask, what does it look like for CE divisions to build that sustainability into their existing curricula and to build that curricula specifically for sustainability?

Nicole Neufeld (04:15):Well, that's why continuing education is really unique because we have the ability to rapidly develop and adapt our programs. Traditional academic programs have structures that they have to go through and regulations where we have the ability to go directly to industry and say, what are the needs? So when we're talking about this change, a strong first step is integrating sustainability into our existing courses. So look at our leadership training programs, our project management or our industry specific skill sets, and ensure that sustainability becomes a core competency across the field rather than just a standalone subject. So an example of this would be in our leadership programs, we can start building in models of fostering a culture of sustainability. The project management courses can now look directly at integrating sustainable practices throughout the project lifestyle. So you're building it into the practices that they're already having.

(05:10):When you talk about industry specific training, so you're looking at resource management, manufacturing, healthcare, for example. You're going to be looking at how do you equip your learners with the tools to minimize their environmental impact, drive social responsibility, take new policies and procedures into consideration. And the way you do this is by incorporating learning tools. So using things such as case studies, hands-on projects, real world problem solving. The more you partner with industry on this, the more examples you get from industry, the more you're going to be building sustainability as a practical actionable tool instead of just a knowledge base that we can learn within the classroom. This makes it so when the professionals go into the workplace, they can immediately apply the skill sets directly to their jobs, to their organizations, and to their roles. So at the same time, continuing education has the opportunity to develop specialized programs.

(06:06):So really focusing on the industry needs, focusing on what the research is saying in the market. So we can work with different groups. We can build micro-credentials like sustainable tourism, land management practices, or renewable energy systems, allowing the professionals in these areas to gain in depth and knowledge, ensuring that they're aware of the new changes and they're able to tackle the emergency challenges that are coming up. By developing these as micro-credentials, you're making it so that they're flexible and short-term learning paths, which enables the professionals to quickly acquire the skills that are directly applicable to the evolving industry needs. So the idea behind this is the programs don't only educate the professionals, but the shape the industry itself. So they're going to be the leaders that are now changing the way we incorporate sustainable practices.

Shauna Cox (06:58):And I think the component there that you touched on is collaboration with industry, which is definitely key to building these sustainable programs. I think another component is the collaboration within the institution itself and various departments. So excuse me. How can CE divisions collaborate with their academic colleagues from various departments or within their own to expand that scope and range of available sustainability focused programming?

Nicole Neufeld (07:25):Well, as you mentioned, collaboration is key. If we can't work together, we're not going to achieve anything. The reality is universities house incredible expertise and continuing studies can serve as the bridge between that knowledge and the actual workforce. So one of the interesting approaches is to develop to co-develop short-term programming. So working with academics to develop stackable credentials that compliment traditional degrees, allowing professionals to gain targeted skills without committing to a long-term study. The modular approach really meets the immediate workforce need while offering a flexible pathway for lifelong learning. So a good example would be having a professional earn a micro-credential and say sustainable project management, which might ladder be combined with other credentials that can ladder into an undergraduate degree in the business department or in your ecosystems department. When you're integrating applied learning from faculty expertise and industry through co-teaching models, you're creating an opportunity to have academically rigorous programming that is actually grounded in real world application.

(08:35):So bridging the gap, making it so the two groups are talking together. This is enhanced though when you incorporate research. So research from academia can really inform program design, ensuring our offerings remain cutting edge and adaptable to industry needs. But you got to think beyond just the university in this context. So partnerships, businesses, government agencies, and indigenous communities can really help shape relevant programming, particularly in rural and remote areas where access to education can be limited. So offering credit applicable programs. So programming through continuing studies that can then ladder into an undergraduate degree provides individuals in these regions a direct pathway to post-secondary education, breaking down geographical barriers and increasing access to sustainable career opportunities. So by creating this bridge between the academic environment and the industry, you're really breaking down the barriers that our students would be facing and that future professionals are facing and empowering them to get the credentials needed to advance their careers while addressing those local and regional challenges.

Shauna Cox (09:46):Amazing. And I think when we're looking at the higher ed landscape, especially with CE divisions, where people are, can definitely vary. Some people may be well into building sustainability, some might be in the middle kind of testing things out, and some people may not even know where to begin. So what's one step that CE leaders can take today or maybe some advice that you have to start building more sustainable programs?

Nicole Neufeld (10:11):The first step is really simple, honestly, start integrating sustainable practices into existing content through the use of case studies and hands-on projects. So conduct a curriculum audit, identify where sustainability can be woven into those courses, whether it's through those real world examples or the practical assignments that highlight sustainability in action. By incorporating sustainability into your existing content, you're going to make it tangible, you're going to make it accessible, and you're going to make it part of the learning experience without the need for completely overhauling your program. As continuing education units, we know how difficult the market can be. So the more you can enhance your current programming, the more impact you're going to have. But from there, you really got to go to the next step. So it's really important to listen to your industry partners, your learners, and your faculty and subject matter experts to understand the specific needs and opportunities for deeper engagement with sustainability.

(11:07):By having a collaborative approach, you ensure that programming will be responsive, relevant, and impactful. Piloting sustainable micro-credentials works really well, but going on the micro-credential level when you first start might not be where you're comfortable. So starting off with workshops is a great way to meet immediate needs while really demonstrating the clear value to both the learners and the employers. One of the great ways to do this, as I've mentioned before, is leverage online and hybrid delivery formats. This is going to expand your access to the market, making it easier for learners in rural and remote communities to participate. The nice thing about doing online and hybrid though, it also minimizes your environmental footprint on the programs. So by delivering it in a non-traditional medium, you're actually delivering it in a sustainable way. So when you're thinking about this as a whole for your continuing education unit, you really want to focus on integrating sustainability into our long-term vision for the department, while ensuring that continuing education plays a leadership role in creating that resilient future ready workforce.

Shauna Cox (12:17):Absolutely. Those are some really great takeaways that people can start with or start building on their strategy. So Nicole, thank you so much for answering those questions. But before I let you go, we have one more that we'd like to throw in. Now you are based in British Columbia, Canada. If someone's coming to town, where do they need to go to eat?

Nicole Neufeld (12:40):That's a tough one. Prince George is actually well known for the number of restaurants we have. The nice thing is a lot of them are locally owned. One of my favorite stops is actually going to a place called Nancy O's Restaurant. It is a locally owned restaurant that was actually started by A-U-N-B-C graduate. And when we talk about sustainability, that is one of the core things that you have, that you have sustainable food practices there. So if you're coming through Prince George Swing by Nancy O's, I guarantee you're going to enjoy what you have.

Shauna Cox (13:08):I love it. I love when it's owned by, it's an alumni. It's always great to see that, Nicole. Thank you so much for answering all those questions and thank you again, for taking the time to chat with me. I really appreciate it.

Nicole Neufeld (13:31):I appreciate you bringing me on the call today, and I just look forward to future opportunities with evolution.