Up-Date on The Second Annual Minister's Forum on Adult Learning
by
Faye Wiesenberg and Paul Little
At the second annual Minister's Forum on Adult Learning (Edmonton on
November 21/22; see December, 1996 AACE
Newsletter) a business plan called People and Prosperity: A
Human Resource Strategy for Alberta was introduced by the Minister
and reviewed by all attendees. The revised version of this document,
as well as a very concise summary, is now available through the
Internet at http://www.gov.ab.ca/dept/aecd.html
and from Advanced Education and Career Development,
Communications Branch (403-422-4495). I strongly urge you to review
this important document yourself, as it contains the Alberta
governments' strategies for assisting Albertans to find and remain
employed, as well as engage in continuous learning, from now until the
year 2000.
Unfortunately, the release of the summary report of the entire Forum
has been delayed due to the March 11 th election. I will give you
up-dates on this event in future issues of this newsletter, after this
report becomes available to me.
In the meantime, Paul offers these comments on the document called
Employability and Beyond: The Adult Development Reform Initiative.
This concept paper focused on the fourth (of six) goals that are laid
out in People and Prosperity, that of 'helping Albertans to
overcome barriers to employment.' It starts out by defining the adult
development system as a subset of an adult learning system that takes
on the task of educating and training adults in Alberta who need to
acquire employability skills to enter and re-enter the workforce. It
builds on the skills delineated by the Conference Board of Canada
(i.e., academic, personal management and team work skills). It then
goes on to describe the work of the ARDI Steering Committee and four
task teams who were charged with operationalizing the policies and
guidelines of the project. These four teams were: Articulation; Prior
Learning Assessment and Portfolios; Curriculum Alignment; and
Collaboration and Marketing.
This paper, in its controversial perspective on 'employability
skills', presents a good starting point for discussion of this
critical issue. Given this focus, it is an important one for all those
adult educators involved in academic up-grading, employment
preparation, job-entry or pre-employment training to critically
review. (Contact AE&CD's Communications Branch at 403-422-4495 to
obtain a copy).
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
AACE continues to be an example of what can be done when people
believe in themselves and have a focus on the future.
In the past few months, the Board has extended an invitation to
other organizations in the field of adult education (both within and
outside of Alberta) to develop relationships that may allow us to
collaborate in maintaining an active presence in the field. This
action was initiated due to the active vigilance of AACE members
(Board and non-Board). It is because AACE has learned to consolidate,
to improvise, and to channel limited resources carefully at key times,
that we are in such a solid financial position today.
Building on our strengths and strengthening weaknesses has kept a
core that is strong and 'durable'. Forming partnerships at various key
times in our history has allowed AACE to continue to achieve our
goals, stay true to our philosophy, and fulfil our financial
obligations. We will continue along this path by reaching out to
others who may benefit from an alliance.
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