Transition Task Force Releases Report

NOTE: A list of members of the Transition Task Force follows this release.

The Transition Task Force released a report today, June 21, that contains 15 recommendations to help youth get the training and education they need to find meaningful work in Nova Scotia.

"The Transition Task Force was a diverse group of people united by the single purpose of building a stronger economy with a well-trained and educated workforce," said Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, president and vice-chancellor at Saint Mary's University. "The report contains recommendations we believe will have the most impact on helping young Nova Scotians get the education and training they need to live and work at home."

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey and Labour and Advanced Education Minister Kelly Regan accepted the report and thanked the task force members for their work.

"Our government is committed to seeing more young people find meaningful work here at home," said Ms. Regan. "Our budget this year is investing more than $12 million in programs that provide the skills, training and experience needed to connect young people to a career here in Nova Scotia."

The task force included representation from youth and students, teachers and principals, school boards, the Nova Scotia Community College, the apprenticeship system, universities, the African Nova Scotian and Mi'kmaw communities, and business and industry.

Recommendations from the task force include:

• providing relevant career information to youth earlier
• reviewing high school and upgrading programs
• helping more apprentices, college and university students complete their education and training, and to do so more quickly
• giving employers a greater voice in influencing some programs in schools, colleges and universities

"The insight and expertise of the task force members is critical to the direction we will take to help more youth successfully move out of school into college, university, apprenticeship and the workforce," said Ms. Casey. "I thank the Transition Task Force members for the time and energy they have invested since last fall."

The province will report on progress throughout the year, as action is undertaken. The ministers also agreed to reconvene the task force members in fall 2017 for a round table session to review and discuss progress.

The Transition Task Force was established as part of Nova Scotia's Action Plan for Education www.ednet.ns.ca . Ensuring youth have the best possible chance for a successful future in Nova Scotia is supported by the ONE Nova Scotia Coalition www.wechoosenow.ca/ .

Members of Transition Task Force:

• Duff Montgomerie (facilitator), deputy minister of Labour and Advanced Education
• Sandra McKenzie (facilitator), deputy minister of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Cal Gosse, senior executive, IBM
• Susan Ritchie, president, Nova Scotia School Boards Association
• Lisa Doucet, superintendent, Tri-County Regional School Board
• Diane Racette, superintendant, Conseil scolaire acadien provincial
• Bill Kaulbach, principal, Cobequid Educational Center
• Loretta Walsh, finance director, Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey
• John Jerome Paul, director, program services, Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey
• Andrea Noylander, teacher, Charles P. Allen High School and chair, Black Educators Association
• Rosalind Penfound, vice-president, academic, Nova Scotia Community College
• Anna Burke, vice-president, enrolment, Nova Scotia Community College
• Dianne Taylor-Gearing, president, NSCAD University
• Robert Summerby-Murray, president, Saint Mary's University
• Scott Blakeney, Apprenticeship Agency
• Duncan Williams, president, Construction Association of Nova Scotia
• Nick Head-Petersen, executive director, Students Nova Scotia
• Keith MacDonald, president and CEO, Cape Breton Partnership Inc.
• Leslie Gallagher, president and CEO, Worklocal.jobs