EDUCATIONSECTOR COUNCIL PARTNERSHIPS PROJECT ESCPP

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EDUCATION/SECTOR COUNCIL PARTNERSHIPS PROJECT
(ESCPP)

• Creating High Quality Education for All Students
• ICSEI Vancouver Conference
• January 2009

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ESCPP MANDATE
To develop a replicable model of partnership
between sector councils and school boards which
leverages engagement, learning, skill
development and career opportunities for all
students.
To collaborate locally, provincially
and nationally to build the best possible models
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Toronto District School Board

• Largest and most ethnically diverse board in
  Canada
• 265,000 fulltime students in 557 schools
• Four of 24 Families of schools were chosen to
  participate (100 schools)
• Elementary and secondary schools involved

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Nine Project Targets

• 1. Sustainable industry/education partnerships
• 2. Nine Essential Skills (HRSDC) embedded in
  school programs
• 3. Expanded opportunities for experiential
  learning at employment sites (for students and
  teachers)
• 4. New and enhanced courses and program packages
  focused on sectors and skills (e.g. Ontario
  SHSM)
• 5. Career and labour market awareness for
  students, parents and teachers

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9 Critical Targets.continued

• 6. Parental awareness of new career/labour force
  realities and new opportunities
• 7. Curriculum and classroom resources with sector
  applications
• 8. Skills recognition and industry-recognized
  certificates and credentials
• 9. Effective transitions to work or
  post-secondary learning (articulations)

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What are Sector Councils?

• National organizations of workers, employers,
  educators, and governments
• Focus on skills for the labour market of the 21st
  century
• 35 councils covering more than 35 of the
  Canadian labour force
• Check them out at www.councils.org
• The Alliance of Sector Councils (TASC)

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Partnership Development Process

• Matching councils and schools
• 10 step development process

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• Cross-disciplinary Teams
• K-12 commitment
• Central training and awareness raising to develop
  readiness

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• Partnerships are customized to the vision and
  needs of the school and industry partners

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• Integration of two distinct cultures
• WORK and EDUCATION!

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• Sector- focused curriculum and program packages
• Sector Councils and industry assisting with
  developing post-secondary articulations, dual
  credits

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• Expanded range of Experiential Learning
  opportunities for STUDENTS and TEACHERS

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• Developing a broad commitment to Essential Skills
  development across the curriculum and from K to
  12

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• New industry-recognized certifications and
  recognition systems

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• Increased awareness for students, teachers and
  parents about
• Career pathways
• Labour market information
• Sector and employment choices

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INNOVATIVE FEATURE

• Career development strategy that focuses on
  identifying students interests, talents and
  passions
• More informed career development choices

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• New strategies for engaging parents in the career
  decision process
• Rearch to develop most engaging strategies

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• High level of COMMITMENT COLLABORATION among
  key stakeholders
• sector councils
• industry partners
• government,
• The Toronto District School Board and pilot
  schools

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INNOVATIVE FEATURES

• High level of COMMITMENT COLLABORATION among
  key stakeholders
• sector councils
• industry partners
• government,
• The Toronto District School Board and pilot
  schools

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT

• Key Leadership and Coordination Roles
• Match maker
• Bridge builder between cultures
• Coach
• Problem-solver
• Resource allocation

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT

• Charting a clear course of action
• Share results and strategies among project
  schools
• Generic templates guide dialogue and development
• Later stage schools help early stage schools

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT

• Features that have enabled change
• Direct support of senior management
• Encouragement to think outside the box not
  business as usual!
• Extension of project from 3- 4 years to permit
  enough time for deeper change
• Continuity and consistency of support

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VALUE ADDED

• Partnerships are helping to transform schooling
  and are expanding the quality and range of
  opportunities
• Increasing relevance and challenge
• Providing key relationships

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ESCPP RESEARCH

• Logic Model
• Two key evaluation questions.
• Key findings from years 1 and 2

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(No Transcript)
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Evaluation Questions
What does it take to build and sustain workable
partnerships between schools and sector councils?
To what extent do school-sector council
partnerships result in changes in the nine target
areas defined for the program? Sustainable
partnerships Essential Skills Expanded
opportunities for experiential learning New
courses and program packages Career awareness
for students Parental awareness of new
realities Classroom resources with sector
applications Skills recognition and
industry-recognized certificates and credentials
Effective transitions to work or
post-secondary learning
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Year 2 Findings

• Expect VARIABILITY
• SCHOOL READINESS and commitment are critical
• LEADERSHIP is important at all levels
• Schools and industries have DIFFERENT CULTURES

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Year 2 Findings

• Establish systematic STRUCTURES and PROCESSES
• Build and nurture COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE
• Changing schools takes TIME!

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ESCPP Contact Information

• Vera Taylor, Consulting Manager, ESCPP
• veraetaylor_at_rogers.com
• Gary Greenman, Project Coordinator, ESCPP
• gg_at_magma.ca
• Dr Lorna Earl, Aporia Consulting Ltd.
• learl_at_oise.utoronto.ca