Sisler CREATE Program Helps Make Winnipeg the World’s Most Intelligent Community
Winnipeg has been named the most intelligent community for 2021 by the Intelligent Community Forum, beating out contenders from all over the world.
As part of their submission to the competition, Economic Development Winnipeg profiled Sisler High School’s CREATE program, with a focus on their relationships with post-secondary institutions and employers in the creative industries. CREATE Department Head Jamie Leduc participated on several panels as part of the semi-final and final forum events. He spoke about the program’s focus on industry and post-secondary pathways.
“The employment and post-secondary enrollment rates for our high school and post-high graduates are very impressive, and continue to grow each year,” said Leduc. “We focus on connecting students with work opportunities, internships, and mentorship while they’re in the program. They learn real world workflow, and the soft skills that are so essential when you are building your career.”
The Schroeder Foundation is a major supporter of the CREATE program. Along with Vancouver Film School, the Foundation has provided 25 full scholarships to graduates of the program over the past two years. The Foundation also provided nearly $500,000 in state-of-the-art equipment to CREATE students at the start of the pandemic to allow them to continue their studies from home. This equipment enabled students to complete their studies in a challenging pandemic year with sporadic lockdowns. The Schroeder Foundation currently funds an Industry Liaison and Communications Manager to help grow the program, and connect students with internship and work placements in the industry.
The ICF is headquartered in New York, with community members in 180 cities, metro regions, and countries around the world. It has a think tank that developed a method to identify prosperous, inclusive economies with rich cultures that are thriving amidst disruptions in the digital age. Economic Development Winnipeg has been involved with ICF for over a decade, studying its method and learning how to make the city better.
