Career Education Task Force

Input received

From November 21 to December 15, 2022, Albertans shared their perspectives with the task force by completing an online survey and participating in online and in-person engagement sessions and stakeholder meetings. 

The task force used this input to help inform recommendations for government and develop a framework for future programming.

Outcomes

In April 2023, the task force submitted the Career Education Task Force Final Report to the Minister of Education. The report was developed after a comprehensive review and engagement with education partners, business and industry stakeholders, and Albertans. 

Recommendations

The report includes recommendations to strengthen career education programming, supports, and accessibility. Government will be moving ahead with 5 recommendations, while evaluating the remaining recommendations for future consideration: 

• increasing ease of access to off-campus education for all students regardless of where they attend school
• reviewing dual credit programming to remove financial, accessibility and awareness barriers
• developing and funding teacher training opportunities for career and technology studies and career and technology foundations
• developing and promoting career education scholarships for students
• enhancing how career education programming is measured and evaluated

Over the coming weeks, we will work collaboratively with education partners and cross-ministry working groups on the development and implementation of these recommended actions.

Framework

The report includes a provincial framework that sets the direction for future career education development and delivery in Alberta. It highlights 7 desired outcomes for career education programming, including:

• exposing students to a greater breadth of possible careers
• creating opportunities for hands-on, experiential learning in fields of interest
• increasing access to career-related courses and subject matter experts
• increasing access to effective and appropriate career planning support and advice
• creating connections between schools, students, post-secondary institutions and employers
• building student readiness for careers
• ensuring equitable and sustainable funding for programming

The framework also speaks to how career education could be delivered in Alberta, focusing on 3 main principles of exploring, experiencing, and transitioning.

Task force mandate

The task force was established in July 2022 to review career education, with a focus on grades 7 to 12. It engaged with various education, industry and business stakeholders across Alberta to hear a broad range of perspectives. Insights from the engagements and review informed the task force’s work to develop:

• an interim report on engagement activities in February 2023
• a final report with recommendations to strengthen career education programming for students in grades 7 to 12 and employers in March 2023
• a provincial framework to guide future career education programming, including curriculum and funding

Read the Career Education Task Force Terms of Reference (PDF, 179 KB) to learn more about the task force's mandate.

Task force members

The task force included leaders from business and industry, kindergarten to grade 12 education and post-secondary institutions. Members included:

• Shane Getson, task force chair, parliamentary secretary for Economic Corridors, Government of Alberta
• Marilyn Dennis, president, Alberta School Boards Association
• Jess Thomson, director of stakeholder and government relations, Women Building Futures
• Shauna Feth, president and CEO, Alberta Chamber of Commerce
• Stefan Rutkowski, operations director, CAREERS: The Next Generation
• Stephan De Loof, directeur exécutif opérations, infrastructure et transport, Le Conseil scolaire FrancoSud
• Kurtis Leinweber, vice president, The Association of Alberta Public Charter Schools and deputy superintendent and COO, Foundations for the Future Charter Academy
• John Jagersma, executive director, Association of Independent Schools & Colleges in Alberta
• Scott Morrison, president, College of Alberta School Superintendents
• David Price, director, Sunterra Group
• Holly Bilton, trustee, Chinook’s Edge School Division
• Patricia Nelson, manager, external training, Skills Canada Alberta
• Darren Roth, teacher, Black Gold School Division
• Raymond Massey, chair, Alberta Board of Skilled Trades
• Jeanette Labrie, associate dean, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
• Diana Ionescu, engineering manager, MacEwan University
• Gerald Bartels, co-founder, executive team, member of board of directors, Nexus Space

News

• Enhancing career education for students (April 17, 2023)
• Task force to strengthen career education (July 7, 2022)