The enclosed Update Document on the progress of the B.C. Human Resource Development Project will be used at a series of regional meetings and other interest group meetings around the province during November and December, 1991. The regional update meetings are being organized by the B.C. Chambers of Commerce in the following locations: November 12 November 19 November 21 November 22 November 27 November 28 December 2 December 5 December 6 December 10 Abbotsford Kamloops Terrace Penticton Cranbrook Prince George Campbell River Victoria Richmond Fort St. John 6:00- 9:00p.m. 12:00- 3:00p.m. 11:30- 2:30 p.m. 12:00- 3:00p.m. 12:00- 3:00p.m. 12:00- 3:00p.m. 12:00- 3:00p.m. 11:30- 2:30p.m. 12:00- 3:00p.m. 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. If you are interested in attending one of these sessions, please contact the Manager at the appropriate Chamber office to obtain an invitation. Whether or not you are able to attend a meeting, we are asking for input on the strategic issues identified by the planning committees. You will find instructions on how you can participate on page 7. We welcome your response. Newsletter 600 Stakeholders shape project framework O S takeholders orientation sessions, held across the province in May, introduced people to the Human Resource Development Project and identified crucial questions and concerns. The Steering Committee gathered participants from a cross-section of stakeholder groups, including business and industry, schools, colleges and universities, community groups, Native organizations, students and private training institutions. Gary Mullins, Deputy Minister of Advanced Education, Training and Technology and chair of the Steering Committee, started the day-long sessions with the background and rationale for the Project. Other Steering Committee members participated on a panel discussing what involvement in the Project means to their constituent groups. They were followed by Project Director Paul Gallagher presenting the Orientation feedback Discussion group participants at the Orientation Sessions raised new issues for consideration. They also refocused some previously identified issues and provided strong recommendations on the type of grassroots involvement necessary for the Project to be successful. Common themes and suggestions for adjusting the Project plans arose in every location the Steering Committee visited. Policy Areas and Issues • Relations with the K-12 school sector should be integral to the entire project. School/post-school must be viewed as a continuum, and the Project design should be revised to reflect this. preliminary framework of the Project. Discussion groups offered ideas on issues the Project needs to address, commented on its organization and suggested strategies to ensure the Project process is consultative, responsive and comprehensive. Discussions were lively and fruitful, and comments were recorded for use by the Steering Committee. At their June 4th meeting, the Committee was able to include participant perspectives and suggestions within a revised Project framework. Project staff have completed point-form reports of all discussion groups for each of the six orientation sessions. The appropriate report will automatically be sent to each participant. As well, these documents are available on request through the Project’s Vancouver office. Individual response forms, circulated at the Orientation Sessions, are still being received by the Project office and will be compiled for use at future events. • The “Essential Characteristics” of the HRD Strategy deserve special attention and should feed into and be considered part of all other policy areas. • The policy area titles may be “too traditional” or “academic” and could lead to an extension of the past conventional “sectors”. A preferred approach would be to focus on “learners” rather than systems and structures. • The policy area on Research and Development and Transfer of Technology does not seem to “fit” with the sectoral orientation. It might need to be addressed within other policy areas. • The scope of the Project, its goals and underlying values and assumptions need to be more clearly defined. • Retraining is a very complex component of HRD and should be emphasized within the Project framework. BRITISH COLUMBIA Human Resource Development Project • As a society we need to find ways to increase the value of and respect for tradesrelated training. • Federal involvement and cooperation are essential. Events and Stakeholder Participation • Ensuring breadth of participation should be a very high priority. Representatives of the principal stakeholders may not be aware of all sub-groups which might want to participate in events. Under-represented groups need special consideration. • Events should be held at times and in circumstances that will encourage participation of people from the business community, women, the unemployed, people with disabilities and the general public. • Special efforts should be made to keep all Project activities open and inclusive. • The Steering Committee should recognize that locally-based decisions — as opposed to centralized decisions — are often of a higher quality. • We must learn from others outside B.C. and not “reinvent the wheel”. Our Responses • Mr. Wayne Deshamais, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education, has been added to the Steering Committee to ensure close cooperation with the K-12 system. • An Equity Advisory Committee to the Project has been established and will include representation from Native, immigrant, disabled women's groups and the unemployed. • The Project design has been reworked (see article on Changes). • Event planning committees will include members from outside the Lower Mainland, and events will be planned in many regions of the province. • Steering Committee and Project staff are maintaining close contact with top federal officials, who have indicated strong support for the Project and its goals. B.C. Human Resource Development Project Steering Committee Changes in project design Gary Mullins (Chairman) Deputy Minister Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology Valerie Buchanan Past President Advanced Education Council of British Columbia Building on input from the Orientation Sessions, the Steering Committee and Project staff have reorganized the framework of the HRD Project. The two main Project goals are to: •Develop and empower individuals to ensure that B.C. will have an educated, aware citizenry. Tom Calvert President Science Council of British Columbia Michael Conroy Member Private Post-Secondary Education Commission Wayne Desharnais Deputy Minister Ministry of Education Donald Fearey Member Provincial Apprenticeship Board •Energize B.C.’s economy within a knowledge-based marketplace. Joyce Ganong Assistant Deputy Minister Skills Development Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology These goals are based on changing factors such as increased economic and social globalization, mushrooming demands for all levels of education, training and retraining, and limited resources to meet these needs. Priority outcomes for learners have been outlined. The work of the HRD Project is to define broad policy directions to take us to the desired priority outcomes from our current education and training systems. Phase I of the Project will consist of a series of “events” to obtain broad participation and input on the relevant policy issues. The initial policy areas shown in the May/June issue of the Newsletter have been restructured as follows: Keith Gray Vice President Government Relations and Educational Services Business Council of British Columbia Shell Harvey Assistant Deputy Minister Universities, Colleges and Institutes Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology Douglas Jardine Member, Council of Chief Executive Officers British Columbia Colleges and Institutes President. Capilano College Ed Lavalle President College-Institute Educators’ Association Brad Lavigne Chairperson Canadian Federation of Students, British Columbia Office Initial Policy Issues Geraldine McGuire Chairperson, Education Committee British Columbia Federation of Labour Issue Areas 1.CRITERIA -What characteristics does a comprehensive HRD system require Richard Powers Member Confederation of University Faculty Associations Department of Political Science University of Victoria 2.SECTORAL ISSUES -workplace-based education and training -applied studies -the academic enterprise -apprenticeship -foundation learning -informal learning -retraining David Reid President British Columbia Chamber of Commerce David Strong Member The Universities Presidents’ Council President. University of Victoria Kathryn Teneese Executive Director First Nations Congress Ron Woodward Assistant Deputy Minister Science and Technology Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology 3.THE SCHOOL INTERFACES WITH POST­ SCHOOL AND WORK 4.ENABLING RESEARCH AND INNOVATION In Phase II, the work of the stakeholders will be integrated into a comprehensive framework of policies and strategies for more extensive public consultation and presentation to the Minister of Advanced Education, Training and Technology early in 1993. “People don't resist change-they resist being changed” PROGRESS The Project staff are establishing “lead stakeholder” committees to define more clearly the policy issues and plan events to address them. Committees dealing with two policy areas, the “Criteria of a Successful HRD System” and “Applied Studies,” met in June. Others will be called together throughout the summer. Watch for more details in the next newsletter or call the Project office for more information. British Columbia Human Resource Development Project Secretariat Paul Gallagher, Project Director Jeannette Matson. Project Co-ordinator Eleanor Joughin, Administrative Assistant do Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre Administration Offices - Room 2000 515 West Hastings Street Vancouver. B.C. V6B 5K3 Tel.: 775-0285 FAX: 775-0291 The Human Resource Development Project Newsletter will be published regularly through the Project Office. We welcome your comments, suggestions and questions about the Project. If you would like to be on our mailing list, please contact us at the address listed above. PLEASE COPY AND CIRCULATE THIS NEWSLETTER FREELY» Newsletter Equity Participation Advisory Committee Established T he Equity Participation Advisory Committee (EPAC) was established in June to act as a resource to the B.C. HRD Project Steering Committee and staff. It directs matters related to those Members of the EPAC were appointed by umbrella organizations and include: Winston Leckie, Community Review Committee (People with Disabilities): Nathan Matthew, First Nations Congress; Kate Pelletier, Women’s Employment and Training Coalition; Niall Trainor, YMCA Enterprise Centre (Unemployed People); and Kathy Vance, Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of B.C. groups traditionally underrepresented in human resource development, and ensures the voices of these people are heard at events sponsored by the Project. At their first meeting it was agreed that members of under-represented groups had a major role to play in the HRD Project planning process. “If marginalized people are not included in the process from the beginning they will become even more marginalized,” said Kathy Vance, a representative of the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of B.C. Representatives from a variety of underrepresented groups are participating on the nine planning committees to assist in identifying strategic issues unique to them. British Columbia Human Resource Development Project Planning Committees in Full Swing travel, housing and additional cost of living incurred in order to attend post-secondary institutions in the major centres of their choice, and these concerns must be addressed.” In recognition of the importance of the role the K-12 system plays in human resource development, representatives of that sector have been appointed to each committee. Once the Planning committees have identified the major policy issues, activities will be designed to provide opportunities for community members and interest groups to become involved in the dialogue. Commenting on the planning process, Kathy Crouse, assistant executive director of the Association for Community Living, noted that “The task of the HRD Project is immense and it is sometimes difficult for committee participants to grasp the scale of planning required. However, with all the key stakeholders represented in the planning stage, the project is already getting a glimpse of a shared vision -— one that is tremendously exciting for all British Columbians.” Council of Chief Executive Officers The committees include representatives from the following stakeholder groups: • School Sector Interfaces with Post­ School & Work Advanced Education Council of B.C. • Enabling Research & Innovation B.C. Chamber of Commerce B.C. Federation of Labour Business Council of British Columbia Canadian Federation of Students College-Institute Educators’ Association Confederation of University Faculty Associations Equity Participation Advisory Committee First Nations Congress Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology Ministry of Education Provincial Apprenticeship Board Private Post-Secondary Education Commission Science Council of British Columbia University Presidents’ Council The committees are: • Essential Characteristics of an HRD System • Workplace Based Education and Training • Applied Studies • Academic Enterprise • Apprenticeship • Foundation Education • Non-formal/Informal Learning The next issue of the Newsletter will report on the event plans currently being designed by the planning committees, and will outline opportunities for input on the strategic issues. A list of committee members is available from the HRD Project. Telephone 775-0285. Essential Characteristics Committee Hosts First Event T the first Planning Committee to begin its work in June also organized the first Project event. It was a day-long workshop presented by the Essential Characteristics Committee for members of all other Planning Committees. It was held on September 30,1991 and was sponsored by the Business Council of British Columbia. The purpose of the workshop was to validate work done to date on defining the Characteristics of a Successful HRD System, and to obtain assistance from other planning committee representatives in establishing appropriate criteria or indicators for each characteristic. The next step will be wider dissemination of this information and consultation with stakeholder groups. **A11 Countries are developing countries. The question (is): What are we developing toward? ...from Creative Work by Willis Harman and John Harmann B.C. Human Resource Development Project Steering Committee Gary Mullins (Chairman) Deputy Minister Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology Valerie Buchanan Past President Advanced Education Council of British Columbia Tom Clavert President Science Council of British Columbia Michael Conroy Member Private Post-Secondary Education Commission Wayne Desharnais Deputy Minister Ministry of Education Donald Fearey Member Provincial Apprenticeship Board Joyce Ganong Assistant Deputy Minister Skills Development Division Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology Keith Gray Vice President Government Relations and Educational Services Business Council of British Columbia Shell Harvey Assistant Deputy Minister Universities, Colleges and Institutes Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology Douglas Jardine Member, Council of Chief Executive Officers British Columbia Colleges and Institutes President, Capilano College Ed Lavalle President College-Institute Educators’ Association Brad Lavigne Chairperson Canadian Federation of Students - British Columbia Office Geraldine McGuire Chairperson Education Committee British Columbia Federation of Labour Richard Powers Member Confederation of University Faculty Associations Department of Political Science University of Victoria David Reid President British Columbia Chamber of Commerce Dr. David Strong Member The Universities Presidents’ Council President, University of Victoria ' Kathryn Teneese Executive Director First Nations Congress Ron Woodward Assistant Deputy Minister Science and Technology Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology British Columbia Human Resource Development Project Secretariat Paul Gallagher, Project Director Jeannette Matson, Project Co-ordinator Eleanor Joughin, Administrative Assistant do Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre Administration Offices ■ Room 2000 515 West Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. V6B5K3 Tel.: 775-0285 FAX: 775-0291 The Human Resource Development Project Newsletter will be published regularly through the Project Office, We welcome your comments, suggestions and questions about the Project, if you would like to be on our mailing list, please contact us at the address listed above. PLEASE COPY AND CIRCULATE THIS NEWSLETTER FREELY!