By Sharon Fernandez
Canada is at a skills crossroads. Relentless technological, economic and social change is placing unprecedented pressure on the country to develop a skilled workforce to drive the next period of economic prosperity. New competencies, high-potential employees and boundary-less careers are at a premium. As a result, young people today face circuitous career journeys as they transition into the 21st century workforce.
Support for students
Effective training curricula and stakeholder alignment are needed to help high-school students choose careers and succeed in the real world of work. At the same time, the more than 200,000 teenagers who drop out of school before the age of 16 need ways to access productive futures.
Sector councils can help. Sector councils build strategic alliances between industry and schools to expand innovative education programs that promote skills that are essential for students in their learning and career futures.
“Sector councils,” as Human Resources and Skills Development Minister Diane Finley described in February 2009, “bring all the key players—company owners, corporate leaders, labour, government, education and individuals—together to create the conditions necessary for Canadian businesses to succeed. Canada’s 33 industry-led sector councils are one of this country’s competitive advantages.”
A model partnership
One example of a strategic alliance is between Canada’s sector councils and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Together, these organizations deliver an initiative that injects practical industry experience into school programs, providing students with better skills, access to job-relevant courses, and up-to-date labour-market resources. The partnership of sector councils, the TDSB and the federal and provincial government departments involved all provide support materials and resources for this initiative.
The goal of the four-year Education/Sector Council Partnerships Project is to develop, implement, test and evaluate the potential for education-industry partnerships to promote lifelong learning and improve students’ career prospects. Specifically, nine project targets continue to focus and form the basis of new program models and school initiatives:
1. Sustainable industry and education partnerships;
2. Nine essential skills embedded in school programs;
3. Expanded opportunities for experiential learning at employment sites;
4. New and enhanced courses and programs focused on sectors and skills;
5. Career and labour-market information awareness for students;
6. Parental awareness of new labour-force realities and opportunities;
7. New sector and industry classroom resources;
8. Industry recognition of skills, competencies and credentials; and
9. Effective transitions to work or postsecondary learning.
What distinguishes the Education/Sector Council Partnership Project is that it integrates the documentation and evaluation of what it takes to build and sustain workable partnerships between sector councils and schools, and the extent to which collaboration results in changes in the nine defined target areas.
The project illustrates the type of 21st century convergence of workforce interests and training perspectives. The aim is to replicate this collaborative model with other interested education systems.
Other top teams
Education-industry partnerships are comprised of sector-council representatives and local employers that form teams and collaborate with schools, teachers and principals to implement innovative programs and curriculum. To ensure industry accuracy and relevance, and encourage participation of local employers, councils fully support these joint efforts.
Indeed, almost half of Canada’s sector councils work with high schools to develop pertinent training programs. Councils such as the Cultural Human Resources Council, BioTalent Canada, the Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council, the Canadian Police Sector Council, the Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council, Canadian Automotive Repair and Service Council, Construction, Information Communications Technology, ECO Canada, and Wood Manufacturing Council all have established programs with partnership networks in place.
The Wood Manufacturing Council, for example, implemented WoodLINKS so that high-school students across Canada can be certified for entry-level work in wood manufacturing. Meanwhile, the Police Sector Council is actively involved in partnerships to develop school programs that adhere to Ontario guidelines for interdisciplinary studies and focus on justice and community services. The council provides in-service industry training for teachers, builds links with similar programs in other provinces, and develops industry-partnership networks.
Collaboration between three schools and the Cultural Human Resources Council has led to the development of an “Entrepreneurship in the Arts” program, designed for Grade 11 students. The council has also facilitated expanded experiential learning opportunities for students interested in working in the cultural sector.
Building the workforce of tomorrow
Sector councils look to the future and are a vital link between industry, education, training deliverers and today's youth. In the spirit of sharing wisdom about the array of career paths, challenges and tools available, these councils work together through The Alliance of Sector Councils (TASC) to help young Canadians transition smoothly into tomorrow's high-skills workforce.
Canada’s sector councils
Canada’s 33 sector councils link business, labour, education and professional groups in neutral forums to comprehensively and cooperatively analyze sector-wide human-resource issues.
For more details, go to:
Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council www.camc.ca
BioTalent Canada www.biotalent.ca
Canadian Police Sector Council www.policecouncil.ca
Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council www.supplychaincanada.org
Canadian Automotive Repair and Service Council www.cars-council.ca
Construction Sector Council www.csc-ca.org
Cultural Human Resources Council www.culturalhrc.ca
ECO Canada www.eco.ca
Information and Communications Technology Council www.ictc-ctic.ca
Wood Manufacturing www.wmc-cfb.ca
The Alliance of Sector Councils www.councils.org