Willis College
Willis College is a private Canadian career and technical training college with campuses in Ottawa and Arnprior, Ontario Canada. The college offers diploma and certificate programs in the areas of healthcare, technology, and business. Willis College has produced more than 150,000 graduates.
History
Willis College was established in 1866.[1] [2]. Founded by Stephen T. Willis, Willis College offered courses in secretarial work and business. Students from Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec regions were taught the skills of the day: typing, shorthand, dictation, filing, general office duties, and business methods and practices[3].
Stephen T. Willis was a graduate of five commercial courses, held a degree, and was internationally recognized as an authority on shorthand. In 1936, three leading systems of shorthand were taught. To simplify the principles of shorthand, Willis developed a new and improved method exclusively for Ottawa [3]. His Willis Shorthand book was first published in 1938.
Following the death of Stephen T. Willis, the college came under the leadership of George Harrison Dunbar, Provincial Secretary for the Province of Ontario. After that, ownership of the College was passed on to Mrs. Bradley and in 1972 to Mr. Rodolphe Rousseau. From April 1975-1980, the Principal of the College was Marguerite Service, a Willis College graduate and one of the founders of Career Colleges Ontario[3].
In the late 1970s and 1980s, the college opened the Willis College Language School, providing extensive language training in English as an ESL and FSL for the Canadian Federal Government’s agenda to fulfill their bilingualism requirements.
Henry Devlin now serves as President and CEO of Willis College[4].
Present day
Current program offerings
Willis College currently offers programs in the areas of technology, healthcare, and business [5].
- Technology Programs
- Cybersecurity Analyst
- Network Security Professional
- Software Developer - Mobile Applications
- Healthcare Programs
- Addictions & Community Support Worker
- Dental Assistant Level I & II
- Medical Office Administrator With Ward Clerk Specialist
- Personal Support Worker (PSW) Certificate
- Pharmacy Assistant
- Business Programs
- Accounting & Business Management Specialist
- Administrative Assistant
- Bookkeeping Payroll Assistant
- Business Management and Human Resources
- Executive Business Administration
- Human Resources With Payroll
- Office Administrator With Human Resources
- Office Administrator With Marketing
Rima Aristocrat
Rima Aristocrat served as President & CEO of Willis College since 1989 [6]. She now serves as board of directors chair[7].
Aristocrat is the founder of the Canadian Association of Immigrant Professionals, founder and president of the TeKnoWave Inc. – Canada’s First National Aboriginal IT Training Initiative, founding director of the Veteran Friendly Transition Program, founder of the Willis CyberSecurity Academy, founder of the Willis Women in Technology, and A Soldier’s Hero for Military Spouses Scholarships[8]. She is the only Canadian represented on Microsoft’s Education Advisory Council[8].
In 1995, she co-authored a publication “Building a Canadian e-Learning Model, a private training perspective”[9]
COVID-19
In 2020, Willis College moved the lecture portion of their programs online to comply with COVID-19 restrictions and practices[5].
Accreditation
- National Association of Career Colleges
- Career Colleges Ontario
- National Dental Assisting Examining Board
- Ontario Dental Assistants Association
References
- ↑ https://www.ottawalife.com/article/willis-college-celebrates-120-years-in-the-community?c=10
- ↑ https://obj.ca/article/local/ottawas-willis-college-eyes-prairie-expansion-under-new-ceo
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "History". Willis College | Ottawa | Arnprior.
- ↑ https://obj.ca/article/local/ottawas-willis-college-eyes-prairie-expansion-under-new-ceo
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Willis College - Diploma Programs Offered In Arnprior, Ottawa & Online". Willis College | Ottawa | Arnprior.
- ↑ https://obj.ca/article/local/ottawas-willis-college-eyes-prairie-expansion-under-new-ceo
- ↑ https://obj.ca/article/local/ottawas-willis-college-eyes-prairie-expansion-under-new-ceo
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "About Rima Aristocrat". International Cyber Security and Intelligence Conference.
- ↑ "Continental Who's who- Business Biographies, Who's who in the world, Achievers, Business leaders, Global business development, Business Networking". www.continentalwhoswho.com.
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