Alberta’s future workforce gets hands-on career training
The Career and Technology Foundations program will help students begin planning their careers before they enter high school.
Education Minister David Eggen has approved the Career and Technology Foundations (CTF) program for students in Grades 5 to 9, which means schools across the province are able to take full advantage of the program for the 2016-17 school year.
“As we take steps to build a more resilient, diversified economy, it’s critical that we offer students more opportunities to start planning for rewarding careers as early as possible. This program helps students explore their interests, learn from industry professionals, and better understand their career options before entering high school. It also encourages creativity and innovation from students, teachers and the community.”
With CTF, students develop critical thinking, collaboration and communication skills through hands-on learning within occupational, practical and community settings. Some schools in the province have been using a preliminary version of the CTF program of studies. These schools have introduced students to courses like robotics, computer programming, culinary arts, fashion and the trades. Their input and feedback has helped ensure that CTF can be available in all classrooms and adapted for Francophone, First Nations, Métis and Inuit students. CTF is being developed in French and English and will be provincially implemented in both languages at the same time.
“CTF is one way that Alberta’s outstanding public education system provides students with a broad range of learning experiences. CTF will allow students the opportunity to explore a wide world of skills and aptitudes, while empowering teachers to connect learning outcomes in all school subjects to students’ diverse interests. This type of student engagement creates powerful teaching and learning in schools.”
“CTF provides a great foundation for students to transition into other career programs like Dual Credit, Registered Apprenticeship or Career and Technology Studies. As an optional program, CTF allows schools – both urban and rural - to offer more opportunities for students in Grades 5 through 9 to explore their interests and better understand their career options earlier in their education.”
Programs like CTF remain a vital way to engage students and encourage them to finish high school. Alberta Education works in partnership with schools, communities, post-secondary institutions and industry to offer a wide range of exciting and rewarding learning opportunities for students.