Fanshawe wins Best of London award

An image showing the London Free Press Best of London logo with the text Winner underneath. CREDIT: FANSHAWE COLLEGE
For the fourth year in a row, Fanshawe College has won in the category of Best Adult Education Centre/Career College.

For the fourth year in a row, Fanshawe has won the award for Best Adult Education Centre/Career College from the London Free Press’ Best of London awards.

“We are thrilled to be awarded the honour of Best of London for Best Adult Education Centre/Career College, for the fourth year in a row,” Mary Pierce, the dean of the faculty of business, information technology and part-time studies, said in a statement.

“Londoners voting for Fanshawe’s part-time studies in this category, year after year, is a statement of Fanshawe’s commitment to serving mature learners in the local community and providing flexible learning options for all stages of the lifelong learning journey.”

The Fanshawe College and Here For You logos are shown. Two people are shown talking to one another. Text states, access respectful, flexible and personalized employment and job readiness readiness services.

The award is part of the London Free Press’ Best of London competition, which runs every year and allows Londoners to vote for their favourite businesses, charities, and in Fanshawe’s case, post-secondary schools.

“The college really has taken a focus of creating more flexible learning opportunities to serve London and the surrounding communities’ mature learner population. And through that, we have really developed a plethora of learning opportunities for that type of learner,” Minette Klazinga, the program manager for part-time studies at Fanshawe said.

“Winning this award year over year, it really just is a testament to all of the things we’re doing are truly reaching the learners that we intended them to and that Londoners are really responding in a positive way.”

Part-time studies doesn’t just handle students taking Fanshawe’s normal programs on a part-time load. It also handles micro credentials, which allow students to take courses that take an average of 20 hours, allowing mature students to reinforce their resume with new skills. They also offer an alternative to the traditional part-time course load, called part time post-secondary.

“Instead of doing one of those full credentials on a part-time basis, you would do that on a course by course basis over a longer period of time so that you don't have to leave your work or family life to come to school,” Klazinga explained.

As to why Londoners keep voting for Fanshawe year over year, Klazinga theorized that the wide amount of programs offered by the college and student support allows people of all ages to easily learn new skills at Fanshawe.

“We are labour market driven, so the courses and the programs that students are seeing are things that can help them get jobs, upskill in their current careers or even pivot careers and try something completely new,” Klazinga explained.

She also hopes that Londoners continue to vote for the college in future Best of London polls, saying Fanshawe will continue to offer more post-grad courses, micro-credentials, and part-time programs.

On behalf of part-time studies and the college on the whole, Klazinga extended a thank you to the London community for showing their support for Fanshawe for the fourth year in a row.

“I encourage those in the community to check out part-time studies and see what we have to offer.”

Information on part-time studies can be found at fanshawec.ca/pt. The full list of Best of London winners will be shared in the London Free Press on March 31.