Regional Network Piloted in North-Eastern Alberta

The Buffalo Trail Public Schools Guidance and Counselling PLC was approved at the last meeting of the Advisory Council as a pilot project to form the first ACE Regional Chapter in Alberta. The organizational meeting was held April 22, 2009 at Lakeland College in Vermilion.  The meeting was attended by about 20 participants from secondary, post-secondary and government organizations. 

At the conclusion of the event, the group agreed that it would be beneficial to participate in regional chapter undertakings.  The benefits listed included:  networking; political influence; sharing information and resources; learning best practices; shared speakers and workshops; maximize opportunities for students, educators and local business; breaking barriers between college, schools, divisions and business; working together with a common results oriented focus.

The new Chapter will work with the Alberta-wide Advisory Council to make best practices and improved career education opportunities available to young people in the North East region of the province.

Provincial Advisory Council Meets in Red Deer 

The ACE Advisory Council met in Red Deer on November 27, 2008.  The meeting was attended by 20 members from across the province and chaired by Dr. Stewart.  The meeting featured a special presentation by Jane Palm, Wolf Creek School Division, on Career Development in High School - Helping Students Transition.  The agenda also allowed for an open space session in which participants provided input on agenda items.  The following matters were discussed in this space:  an update on the recently elected board of directors and their approval of the Terms of Reference for the Advisory Council; update on the ALIS website user survey and the assistance of ACE in facilitating this work; an update on the review of the Tech Prep credential and plans for future consultation with key players in the development of a new career credential that would recognize the new CTS curriculum and be available to all Alberta students; presentation by Barry Davis on the economics and utility of providing Tech Prep in smaller, rural school divisions; a report by Alberta Education on the progress and development of the Off Campus Education Manual; a report by Council Vice-Chair Margaret Vennard on the Youth Connections program in Alberta and the role it plays in career development; Lokken Career Training also made a presentation on how private career development organizations could be utilized to assist educators with the implementation of their programs; a discussion on credentials that can be earned by Alberta students and how ACE may assist in developing a database of same; Alberta Education also provided an update on the new Career and Technology Studies program; and, Council members also added ‘meeting schedule' to the agenda for discussion.