Sector councils work with a number of partners in the education system (K-12 and post-secondary) to create effective and sustainable working relationships with those institutions.
Kindergarden to Grade 12
A pilot project, the Education/Sector Council Partnership Project (ESCPP), is designed to evaluate development of an education (K-12)/sector council partnership model. The intent is to document the development process and operation of initial partnerships, and to make these experiences available to other interested jurisdictions and education systems in Canada. The project has been undertaken by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). This ground-breaking initiative injects practical industry experience into school programs thereby providing all students with better skills, access to job-relevant courses, and up-to-date labour market resources.
Community Colleges and Polytechnics
A TASC Partner, the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) also helps facilitate sector council/education partnerships. The ACCC coordinates a number of affinity groups which bring deans and instructors from across the country together with sector councils in fields such as tourism and hospitality, petroleum, construction, apparel and the voluntary and non-profit sector. These affinity groups work on curriculum development, share ideas, best & worst practices, and occasionally organize joint activities to explore and promote their common interests.
Sector councils work with polytechnics through the ACCC as well as through Polytechnics Canada, and are beginning to develop a working with private sector colleges represented by the National Association of Career Colleges.
Universities
Sector councils are also working with universities in a variety of ways, for example:
- Curriculum development at the program and course level
- Accreditation of post-secondary programs
- Consultations and participation between sector councils and academics/universities (e.g. board and committee representation)
- Leading edge research on human resource issues
- Cross-promotion of educational programs and career opportunities in various industries
- Hosting university program data bases on sector council websites
- Certification of foreign workers using national occupational standards developed by sector councils