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By rdnewsNOW Staff

Growing Alberta economy

UCP commits to implement new student supports to tackle skilled labour shortage

May 23, 2023 | 4:12 PM

The UCP announced on Tuesday a series of new measures they would implement to help high school students prepare for good-paying jobs in high-demand fields such as technology, manufacturing, construction, energy, and health.

The UCP claims under their government, the Alberta economy is booming and the province must ensure skilled workers are available to fill the jobs needed to continue fueling that growth.

“If Alberta can’t get the skilled workers it needs, and soon, our economic growth will be impacted,” said Adriana LaGrange, UCP candidate for Red Deer-North. “Young Albertans are smart, ambitious, and ready. They want to build a brighter future for themselves and our province. A re-elected UCP government will ensure they have the supports and resources they need to do just that.”

If re-elected, the UCP says they will implement key recommendations from the Career Education Task Force, initially created to explore ways students can access practical and improved foundational learning opportunities while helping build a qualified, educated, and engaged workforce. They say this will support Alberta’s diversified economy and prosperity.

“Alberta has a tremendous future with evolving opportunities in a wide variety of fields. The Careers Education Task Force made a number of recommendations to guide the evolution of education to more closely align students’ education with rapidly expanding and changing careers. To keep pace, it is important to tighten the connection between education and career employment for both students and employers. Today’s announcements to put into action the recommendations are a credit to Adriana LaGrange’s leadership and the UCP’s commitment to Albertans’ future success. As employers, we are grateful for the strong collaborative partnership approach to help students and their families understand and appreciate how to be successful in their chosen careers,” said Dave Price, Business and Industry Member and member of the Career Education Task Force.

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The UCP says they will begin by promoting career pathways for high school students through job fairs developed in partnership with various industry and youth organizations. They believe the events will allow students to get informed, ask questions, and open their eyes to great opportunities to get started on the right path.

The UCP states they will also create a student-friendly online career counselling service for them and their parents to learn more about various career opportunities and develop a roadmap.

Additional measures include:

• Funding teacher training opportunities in career and technology studies
• Offering career education scholarships for students
• Launching a public awareness campaign to raise the profile of skilled trades so they are seen as a respected, important, and in-demand career choice.

  (UCP background)

“CLRA is the most essential and influential labour voice of Alberta’s construction employers. We work with employers and labour unions that understand the value of education and training to the construction industry’s future. The Career Education Task Force recommendations will help schools and campuses attract, retain, and support the students and apprentices Alberta needs to build its future. We are encouraged by policies that inspire youth to consider safe and rewarding careers in the unionized construction industry and by commitments to put more apprentices on Alberta job sites. We applaud the UCP for making skilled trades education and training a pillar of its election platform, and encourage all other parties to do the same,” said Bonnie Smith, Chair of the Board, Construction Labour Relations Alberta.

The UCP says they will increase funding for Career and Technology Studies (CTS) for students in Grades 10 – 12 by enhancing the dual credit grant program, which will also increase the number of CTS spaces and support for mobile CTS and Career and Technology Foundations (Grades 5 – 9) labs for rural school boards.

Lastly, the UCP says they will increase funding to enhance off-campus education opportunities as they understand the importance of supplementing class learning with real-world experience. Programs will include career internships, the Green Certificate Program, the Registered Apprenticeship Program, work experience, work study, and Workplace Readiness and Practicum.

“We are very supportive of increasing career awareness and exploration in our schools as the value to students is multifaceted. Awareness activities light a spark of interest for students of various ages. Participating in a dual credit course or off-campus internship gives a high school student a better understanding of the career path, increased purpose and motivation to be successful in school, and decreased anxiety regarding their next steps into post-secondary or the world of work,” said Holly Bilton, Board Chair of The Chinook’s Edge School Division and member of the Career Education Task Force.

“The UCP believes Albertans deserve a world-class education system that sets students up for success by ensuring they have the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in life and work,” concluded LaGrange. “As Alberta’s economy continues to expand and diversify, we will ensure students can contribute and grow right alongside. There’s no surer guarantee of a secure, bright future than being able to do something meaningful you love for work. A re-elected UCP government will continue moving our economy forward to ensure more young Albertans can do just that.”