A look beyond the sessions at CAUCE 2026
SESSION: Bridging the Gap: Employer Partnerships that Help Continuing Education Thrive Through Change
PRESENTER: Derek Tannis, Associate Dean, Student Success and Enrolment Management, McGill University School of Continuing Studies (presented with Amanda Boone from Riipen and Inna Popova from McGill University School of Continuing Studies).
Seeing Each Other More Clearly: Reflections on Co-Presenting at CAUCE 2026
Being at CAUCE this year reminded me why this conference matters so much to our community. There is a particular energy that comes from being with people who understand the moving target of continuing education. It is a unique mix of camaraderie, curiosity, and the not-so-quiet hope that, together, we can figure out where we are going and how to get there.
This year, I had the chance to co-present a session on employer partnerships with two colleagues, Amanda Boone from Riipen and Inna Popova from McGill’s School of Continuing Studies. Together, we explored how post-secondary institutions and learning innovation partners can bridge the gap and build employer partnerships that thrive.
Our goal was simple, to create a session that felt human, honest, and grounded in the lived experience of partnership work. Instead of presenting a polished model, we wanted to show what collaboration actually looks like, including the hesitations, the assumptions, and those moments when you think you are aligned, only to discover you have been speaking entirely different languages. We wanted people to see themselves in the scenarios and recognize that these dynamics are normal, not signs of failure. Inna stepped into the role of an employer, streamed live into the session, to help us illustrate the dynamics that shape partnership conversations. Watching her transform into a fictional aerospace leader was a reminder of the multi-talented nature of our field!
To frame the conversation, we used the Johari Window, a tool that helps identify what is known, hidden, and not yet visible between partners. The lens worked because partnership work is shaped not only by shared understanding, but also by blind spots on all sides. Institutions carry internal constraints that partners cannot see. Learning innovation partners often understand our challenges more deeply than we realize. Employers face pressures that rarely make it into our planning documents. When we acknowledge those realities, collaboration becomes easier and more resilient.
Presenting with Amanda and Inna helped me see our work from new angles. I came away with a deeper appreciation for colleagues in the learning innovation space, who often help us navigate institutional blind spots with patience and insight. I also better understood the pressures employers face when trying to engage with our learners. These perspectives matter if we want partnerships to succeed.
Most importantly, the experience reminded me that collaboration is not just a strategy. It is a practice. It requires curiosity, clarity, empathy, and a willingness to name assumptions early. When we approach partnership work this way, we create more space for trust, shared purpose, and meaningful outcomes for learners.
Being together at CAUCE made this learning even more powerful. The conversations between sessions, the informal exchanges, and the sense of community all reinforced the importance of gathering in person. Presenting with Amanda strengthened our partner relationship and deepened our understanding of each other’s worlds. It reminded me that continuing education also advances when we see each other more clearly.
I left CAUCE grateful for the colleagues who help us navigate complexity and optimistic about the partnerships that make our work possible. Collaboration is not always simple, but it is worth the effort. Sometimes, all it takes to get started is a bit of humour, a bit of vulnerability, and a willingness to step into the unknown together.
-Derek Tannis