Lakeland College School of Trades and Technology dean Dave King joins the 19-member Skills for Jobs Task Force.
The Government of Alberta's Skills for Jobs Task Force brings together post-secondary professionals, industry leaders and government representatives to examine the ways the province's apprenticeship education could be extended to assist with meeting labour demands.
Lakeland is committed to learner success and excellence, and King brings these values as well as an essential rural perspective to the task force.
“I look forward to representing a rural Alberta post-secondary perspective and how important this initiative is to our region and others just like us,” King says. “We all have a part to play in supporting our students going through our education system to have all the opportunities to make this province a great place to live and work in. We want our students to have a very open choice about their future and that includes all facets of post-secondary education, in which skilled trades play a tremendous role.”
The task force will offer the provincial government recommendations on how to strengthen enrolment in apprenticeship programs, expand the apprenticeship model of classroom education with on-the-job learning, and offer a number of short- and long-term strategies to help Albertans find rewarding and fulfilling careers.
The task force is co-chaired by Glenn Feltham (NAIT's president and CEO) and David Ross (SAIT's president and CEO). Members include:
- Ray Massey, president of Skills Canada Alberta
- Amanda Rosychuk, senior vice-president, drainage services for EPCOR, and vice-chair of Women Building Futures
- Andy Neigel, CAREERS: the Next Generation president and CEO
- j'Amey Bevan, chair, Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board
- Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, MLA Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, and Shane Getson MLA, Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland, respectively chair and member of the Alberta Skilled Trades Caucus)
A preliminary report is to be completed in 2020.
Lakeland offers nine apprenticeship programs and three pre-employment programs.