Who we are

The EdUp Canada Podcast, going strong for almost two seasons, brings you stories, insights, and practical lessons on building skills and achieving success. Hosted by Michael Sangster, the podcast explores how individuals from all walks of life: students, business leaders, veterans, policymakers, blue-collar workers, and educators- have transformed their skills into lasting impact.

Recently, we launched a new series, Sea of Opportunities, offering a deep dive into careers and life in the Royal Canadian Navy, highlighting real experiences, challenges, and growth opportunities.

Whether you’re looking to advance professionally, explore new pathways, or gain inspiration, the EdUp Canada Podcast is your guide to discovering how the right skills can shape your future.

Meet Your Host

Michael Sangster brings vision, passion, and a commitment to student success to his work at NACC, collaborating with over 500 career colleges to create meaningful opportunities for students to pursue their dreams. He is dedicated to connecting stakeholders, governments, colleges, and students to build common ground and deliver outcomes that strengthen communities.

Michael joins NACC with a wealth of experience in both the public and private sectors. He most recently served as Managing Partner at the Waterloo Group and Chief Commercial Officer at Pal Aerospace. Previously, he was Vice President of Strategic Relations and Federal Government Affairs at TELUS, Vice President of Sales at C-COM Satellite Systems, and Federal Government Relations and Sales Manager at Assure Health Inc.

Beyond his professional career, Michael has contributed extensively as a volunteer in Ottawa, supporting organizations including the Canadian Hospice and Palliative Care Association, Ottawa Police Gala, Ottawa Food Bank, and the Hill Charity Golf Classic. His dedication to community service has been recognized with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013) and the Ottawa Police Community Leadership Award (2015).

Michael is an alumnus of the University of Manitoba and completed the Governance Essentials Program for Directors at the University of Ottawa School of Management Centre for Executive Education.

About The National Association of Career Colleges (NACC)

The National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) is Canada’s national voice for 500+ regulated career colleges. With a proud history since 1896, NACC has been a strong advocate for career education, workforce development and student success, ensuring that career colleges play a vital role in Canada’s labour market.

As an umbrella organization for affiliated provincial career college associations, NACC aims to support and enhance the reputation of its member colleges, providing value through government advocacy, curriculum development and industry partnerships. It works closely with educators, employers and policymakers to align training programs with industry needs, helping graduates build successful careers.

In this video, our Board Chair, Vic Tesan, discusses the lasting impact of Canada's regulated career colleges. He highlights the importance of diversity, integrity, and community, explaining how these core values shape academic education and prepare our learners for success in the workplace.

Our Vision

To be the recognized and respected advocate for Regulated Career Colleges across Canada.

Our Values

We uphold integrity, deliver quality, foster collaboration, and demonstrate accountability in everything we do, ensuring that our member colleges and their students are supported through trusted leadership and a commitment to excellence

Our Purpose

To enhance the reputation and success of our member colleges by delivering advocacy and curriculum support that aligns education with Canada’s evolving labour market needs, ultimately strengthening outcomes for both students and employers.

Some of the initiatives NACC is currently engaged in:

  • At NACC, we develop and provide comprehensive curriculum packages for members committed to upholding the high program standards set by our association. Currently, we offer specialized programs, including:

    • Early Childhood Assistant Program

    • Esthetics Program

    • Personal Support Worker Program

    • Personal Support Worker Bridging Program

    • Personal Support Worker Distance Education Program

    • Home Support Worker Program

    • Applied AI Curriculum

    For more information, visit our website: https://nacc.ca/curriculumforcareers/

    Or contact our curriculum team directly at curriculum@nacc.ca

  • Each year NACC holds a conference for all of its members. The conference brings together industry leaders to share and learn about the latest innovations and effective practices in education. Sessions are also held to discuss a number of topics such as:

    • Media Relations

    • Government policy

    • Accreditation programs

  • We continually work with the Federal government to represent career colleges on different levels. NACC has and will continue to work on projects and attend meetings such as:

    • Representing career colleges in front of parliamentary committees

    • Meeting with elected officials and public servants

    • Participating in meetings with the Educator Engagement Steering Committee

  • NACC has taken a proactive stance on issues that affect its members. To ensure that our members’ interests are voiced to the government, NACC undertakes the following:

    • Engages with key government officials so that NACC’s message is heard and understood

    • Closely monitors government actions related to education and specifically career colleges

    • Positions NACC to be able to quickly respond to questions from the media and government