5 minute read
Experience Innovation Like Never Before
Tyler Charlebois Director, Centres of Innovation Network and Partnership Development
FOR OVER 50 YEARS, HUMBER has been a leader in polytechnic education, graduating independent thinkers with practical skills and hands-on work experience.
In today’s changing economy, those skills and experience are essential—because just when you think you’ve got your career or business model figured out, something changes and forces you to adapt.
That’s why you hear a lot about innovation these days. To succeed, we have to keep reinventing to propel and lead to innovation.
Communication, collaboration, digital fluency, leadership, strategic problem-solving and being able to adapt—in short, “soft skills” are critically important on the road to innovation— industry’s growing demand for these skills is on the rise.
How do we foster and develop technical and soft skills?
HUMBER’S COI NETWORK
That’s why we launched Humber’s Centres of Innovation (COI) Network, which has given thousands of students, faculty and community and industry partners access to the resources, technology and expertise they need to innovate.
We’ve helped our students master cutting-edge technologies, retrain to make career changes, and launch successful businesses. We’ve inspired our faculty to rekindle their passion for teaching while helping deliver hands-on coursework to teach students real-world skills. And we’ve helped our industry and community partners revolutionize their operations while shaping the minds of the future.
Each of the five COIs in the Network is focused on a key area of proven strength and industry growth: Technology Innovation, Creative Business Innovation, Innovation in Health and Wellness, Entrepreneurship, and Social Innovation.
The COI Network is growing swiftly. Humber’s final two COIs will become fully operational this year—the Centre for Innovation in Health and Wellness (CIHW) and the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI). We are also adding spaces, building knowledge and expertise, and forming new partnerships every day to give students, faculty and partners more room to innovate.
Across the Network, interdisciplinary teams of faculty, students, community and industry partners collaborate to solve complex, real-world problems.
Cross-collaborative innovation in action
Over the last two years, the CCBI and Barrett CTI, along with students from the Faculty of Media and Creative Arts (FMCA) UX Design Ontario Graduate Certificate program and the Faculty of Applied Sciences & Technology (FAST) Bachelor of Industrial Design and Bachelor of Interior Design programs have been collaborating with the City of Toronto to re-imagine and update a 40-year-old model of the city called Tiny Town with a new concept that might be 3D, 2D, virtual, movable and flexible.
NEXT-GENERATION OF INNOVATORS
Over the last year, close to 1,200 students were engaged in COI activities with community and industry partners— preparing them to become tomorrow's innovative and strategic problem-solvers.
The COI Network is part of the larger innovation ecosystem at Humber, which includes its six Faculties, Centre for Innovative Learning and the Office of Research and Innovation. Visit Humber’s COI Network to find the resources, technology and expertise for innovation— and room to succeed.
At the Centre for Creative Business Innovation (CCBI), we encourage students and partners to think creatively and work collaboratively, applying outside-the-box solutions to stubborn problems.
The Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE) gives students, faculty, alumni and community members room to learn entrepreneurial skills and get expert advice to help them launch a successful business.
The Centre for Innovation in Health and Wellness (CIHW) brings together students, faculty, healthcare experts, community organizations and industry partners to develop new strategies and practical solutions to make a better, more equitable, more inclusive healthcare system.
The Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) develops locally-driven solutions to today’s complex social challenges related to food insecurity, equity, diversity, inclusion, social justice, and more.
At the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation (Barrett CTI), students hone the skills they’ll need for the jobs of tomorrow, and industry revolutionizes their operations by experimenting with new technologies.
ABOUT
Tyler Charlebois (He/Him)
Tyler Charlebois (He/Him)
Director, Centres of Innovation Network and Partnership Developmentlinkedin.com/in/tylercharleboistyler.charlebois@humber.ca
Tyler Charlebois is Director, Centres of Innovation Network and Partnership Development at Humber College. In this role, Tyler fosters sustainable and mutually beneficial strategic partnerships by effectively leading and managing the execution of Humber’s Strategic Partnership Framework. Tyler also leads Humber’s COI Network to strengthen communities by bringing together industry and community partners, faculty, and students to maximize the economic, social and ecological impact of great ideas. Tyler has 10+ years of work experience delivering innovative solutions that results in streamlining business operations, propelling revenue growth, and delivering world-class support.
