Building Community Through Learning and Innovation at the CRI
Written by Mery Perez, CRI Project Manager
Our team at the Centre for Research and Innovation has been busy strengthening partnerships and offering opportunities to build knowledge during 2024. The centre is growing exponentially as a hub for developing job skills through learning, creativity and innovation. As the job market changes, CRI is bridging some of the skill gaps among our current generations while also helping people of all ages to bring ideas and products to life with emerging technologies.
A key feature of CRI is the Makerspace which offers the public access to tools such as 3-D printers, a laser cutter, CNC Routers and a wood and metal shop, a plasma cutter, book-making tools, robotics and soldering equipment, and much more. While all the equipment is accessible to the public, we realize that some may find it difficult to use our tools due to lack of training. To address these challenges, our team has developed a series of workshops and micro credentials to get people creating using the resources available at the Makerspace.
Collaborations and partnerships with various institutions have been key to successfully widening the audience for our programs. We have collaborated with the Horseshoe Community Press, The Cloud Factory, CB Nuit and the Western Environment Centre (WEC), among other local organizations. These partnerships have helped us create a sense of community as we support each other in learning, building, and innovating.
Our workshops are characterized by a sense of camaraderie and excitement. People come to the CRI from all walks of life. For example, our workshops have brought together recently retired older adults who are looking to finally explore hobbies they never had time to enjoy before; working adults seeking to improve their job skills in an ever-changing workplace; youth bringing new ideas and preparing for the workforce, entrepreneurs seeking ways to promote their business and improve services; and many more. It is quite exciting to see younger people share their comfort with technology with older adults, while our older participants share stories and experiences with our youth.
1: Day 1 of the Shed-Building Workshop. Instructor Gord Hoyles goes over basic skills and safety guidelines before we started building.
2: Shed Workshop participant Carol Gilbert helps secure the roof trusses to the shed.