EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS EVENT
General Poster     High School Poster

CAREER EDUCATION AND CAREER PLANNING
In Mid November, the BC Career Educators come together in Vancouver to discuss programs and plans for assisting students to make that transition from Secondary school to post secondary programs or in to the labour force. This year’s conference was full of interesting insights. There is currently underway a very significant shift in the needs of the labour market. For the first time in many years, the projections are all in agreement that there is a huge need in the area of skilled trades. Up to 49% of the labour market will need to be filled with people who have completed Grade 12 and have gone for one to two years of post secondary training in any of the skilled trades areas. This is the first time in recent memory where the need has shifted away from University Graduates back to the skilled trades areas. The implications for ADSS are quite staggering. We are currently gearing up to expand on our trades programs and our apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs as well as our connections to the colleges. Many secondary schools in Northern BC are already establishing articulated programs where Grade 11 and 12 students are able to do course work towards high school graduation as well as apprenticeship training through the colleges. This means that when they graduate they are well on their way to completing their training and are able to enter the job market with skills that are highly in demand. The level of skill necessary in many of these areas provide opportunities for our very capable students to use their natural skills in creative ways. There also exists many entrepreneurial opportunities for students after they have worked a short time in the various industries. We all need to look at these opportunities for our students in new ways. Stay tuned for more news.