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Paul Toupin | Director of Employment and Corporate Training, Collège La Cité

Paul Toupin | Director of Employment and Corporate Training, Collège La Cité

Current Position and Past Experience
Paul Toupin is currently Director of La Cité des affaires at Collège La Cité in Ottawa, Ontario. La Cité des affaires provides a continuum of customized training and business development solutions that meet the current and future needs of the labour market and supports the successful integration, inclusion and retention of French-speaking newcomers in order to enhance the vitality of Francophone minority communities.

He is also President and Founder of InnovEduca Consulting Services. InnovEduca works with Educational and Training providers to find innovative solutions to meeting their goals. From strategic planning and business development to facilitation and proposal writing InnovEduca helps spring solutions to life. We also help match businesses with the best training providers for their needs.

Prior, Toupin was Vice President of Enterprise and Community Relations at the Manitoba Institutue of Trades and Technology. He also worked for 10 years at the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (now Colleges and Institutes Canada), serving in roles such as Manager of Student Connections, and as Manager of the Canadian Forces College Opportunity Program.

Preceding his involvement in the world of postsecondary education, he spent a decade in college publishing after starting his professional career as a French immersion teacher.

Education, Honors and Achievements
Toupin graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Manitoba. He has also completed seminar and certificate programs such as the VicePresident National Executive Leadership Institute, Appréciation par simulation (APS – Développement) at l’École nationale d’administration publique; Friesen Kaye & Associates Instructional Design program; Barnes & Conti’s Intelligent Risk Taking and Exercising Influence programs; Psychometrics Canada’s MBTI Qualifying Training Program; the Marketing Professional Services Seminar at Schulich School of Business (York University); and the American Management Association’s Telemarketing Sales and Sales Management training courses.

Personal Details and Community Involvement
His passion for community development initiatives started in his teens when he was one of the first athletic program coaches for Manitoba Special Olympics. From there, he has proceeded to volunteer for community radio stations in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; served as Board Chair for the Ottawa International Childrens Festival and one of the founding board members of La Radio Communautaire du Manitoba.

His current passion marries his interests in social justice and supporting First Nation groups interested in tapping into the potential of their youth to create future leaders and stronger communities. Known by his spirit name, Mikisew Napew or Eagle Man, he has been privileged to serve and advise his Cree friends of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation on the development of Pewapun Construction, a social enterprise that hires NEET youth from Atoskiwin Training and Employment Centre to build housing and commercial facilities in Nelson House and Thompson, Manitoba.

In 2015, he was introduced to YouthBuild International. Since then, he has been involved in the planning of the Indigenous YouthBuild Canada program which now has 4 sites across Canada. His involvement with IYBC has privileged him with the opportunity to serve as the Canadian representative on an international advisory committee to Global YouthBuild alongside members from 7 other countries. He has addressed the 2017 Housing and Infrastructure Forum for the Assembly of First Nations on the topic of unleashing the potential of First Nation youth to address socioeconomic opportunities in First Nations.

Throughout his career, he has had the pleasure of speaking on topics that promote the potential of Canada’s colleges in developing youth as future leaders in industry, the military, and the voluntary sector. In 2015, he spoke to the Regional Economic Development Forum sponsored by Economic Development Winnipeg; in 2014, he was guest speaker at the Manitoba Print Industry Association Gala. He has also spoken at national events hosted by the National Council of Deans of Technology Programs; numerous Technical Symposiums for the Canadian Armed Forces on the subject of Building Alliances between Colleges and the Canadian Forces; and the 2007 Canadian Council on Small Business & Entrepreneurship Conference.

Thanks to his three prolific soccer playing children, he has added soccer to his other sports passions such as hockey, volleyball, basketball, fishing and cycling.

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