The Barrett Family Foundation increases investment in Humber to $10 million

Donation to fund scholarships, student experiential opportunities and technology innovation

TORONTO, Nov. 2, 2018 /CNW/ - The Barrett Family Foundation has donated $10 million dollars to Humber College. This is the largest private donation in the college's history.

"We believe education is critical to the development of all individuals and we want to help people gain the skills to get and retain a good job," says Bob Barrett, Founder, The Barrett Family Foundation and president and CEO of Polytainers. "We support Humber because of the college's commitment to student success and career-oriented learning, and we believe it is the best place for forward-thinking skills development, especially in technology. With a focus on polytechnic education, we are confident that the college is preparing students extremely well for the rapidly changing workforce. Humber is also the place for industry collaboration and we recognize that this will further help students achieve workplace success. We wanted to be a part of building on that even further with the development of the Barrett Centre of Technology."

The Foundation initially donated $5 million to Humber in 2016 and has recently committed an additional $5 million that will support:

• Student Excellence Program: A range of student scholarships, including entrance, retention and project-based grants;
• Skills Mentorship Program: Skills training and competition preparation through a unique experiential learning opportunity that allows students to gain, refine, enhance and test their employable skills while preparing for the real-life world of industry;
• Leading-Edge Technology: Advanced equipment and technology to be positioned throughout the Barrett CTI to enhance practical skills training and job readiness for students.

The Barrett CTI will be a powerhouse of technological innovation. Scheduled to open in early 2019, the facility is dedicated to innovation, skills development, applied research and project-based, collaborative learning featuring digital activity zones rather than traditional classrooms. Equipped with advanced, industry-leading technology, companies will use the Barett CTI to work with students and experts to solve business and innovation challenges while building on Humber's expertise in automation and robotics, systems integration, advanced manufacturing and design and user experience testing.  

"The Barrett Family Foundation and their transformational level of support of the CTI has put Humber on an extraordinary path," says Chris Whitaker, Humber College president and CEO. "We are grateful to the Foundation for helping to provide more opportunities for students to gain the progressive technical skills they need to succeed in the skills economy and helping to strengthen Humber's reputation as a global leader in polytechnic education."

The Barrett Family Foundation was established by Bob and his wife Francine to support educational, environmental and humanitarian causes, as well as health and the arts.

About Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
Established in 1967, Humber College is a global leader in polytechnic education. Combining in-depth theoretical learning and hands-on experience with applied research and extensive industry connections, Humber provides career-focused education to 33,000 full-time and 23,000 part-time students across three campuses. The college offers a comprehensive range of credentials including honours undergraduate degrees, postgraduate certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships and certificates. More than four out of five Humber graduates are employed within six months of completing their studies. Visit humber.ca.

SOURCE Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning

For further information: Nadia Araujo, Media Relations and External Communications Specialist, Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, 416.675.6622 ext. 5479, [e-mail]

Related Links

http://www.humber.ca