Don Bernosky

Educators/Trainers Representative

Don Bernosky, Executive Director, Innovation and Skills Development, has over twenty-seven years of experience in administering a broad range of postsecondary apprenticeship, and training programs at Confederation College. Don was the 2002 winner of the Doug Light Provincial Award for Administrative Excellence and has continued to provide strong performance and visionary leadership at Confederation College. A native of Thunder Bay, Don joined Confederation College in 1981 as a Teaching Master in the Industrial Electronic Control Program.

Don is the past chair of the Ontario Heads of Apprenticeship Training, and the Ontario Heads of Technology and is the Co-Chair of the Provincial Workplace Development Coordinating Committee; member of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities/Colleges Ontario Joint Operating Committee; Labour Market Development Agreement/Labour Market Partnership Agreement Task Force, Local Labour Market Planning Committee and various industrial affiliations and Board of Director roles.

Don was instrumental in the initial development and planning for the Confederation College Aviation Centre of Excellence. He initiated efforts to establish the Confederation College Forestry Centre with its new programs, research and development and data warehouse initiatives. Recently he has overseen several new traineeship and apprenticeship programs for First Nation communities to increase skills training as part of the overall regional strategy. In his role as Executive Director, Don’s portfolio covers the entire region including 6 regional campuses, Business, Community and Industry Learning, the Natural Resources Centre, and Job Connect. He is spearheading a number of large-scale projects involving multi- partnerships in a wide range of sectors i.e. Whitefeather Forest Initiative, Canadian Aboriginal Apprenticeship Research Initiative, First Nation Water/Wastewater Operator Training (Pan-northern).