My First Career Education Society Conference

I recently attended the BC Career Education Society Conference in Vancouver BC.  It was a two-day event that featured amazing keynote speakers, a wide variety of timely breakout sessions, some hands on activities, and a wonderful networking opportunity. 

The Keynote speakers, Cathy Campbell and Wade Davies, both shared their insights about career development, directly and indirectly.  Cathy spoke to the importance of communicating to students that career paths are not linear, but rather a tangle of experiences, steps forward and steps back.  Wade Davies shared his own incredible personal story of personal discovery, based largely on his knack for being in the right place at the right time, and his curiosity and willingness to take risks. 

I attended a number of sessions that provided me with key information that will help me to guide our SD59 Career Education Team.  I listened to Tim Winklemans and Joanne Armstrong present Ministry direction and our need to align our practices with Ministry policy.  I also attended a session with Christian St. Cyr where he presented information from the  “Labour Market Year in Review.”  I was fortunate to also take part in an on the ground tour of the new Women’s and Children’s Health Centre construction project on the current site of the BC Children’s Hospital.  Here I saw journeymen trades persons and apprentices working on site in a vast array of trades.  It was an awesome morning on site.

What stood out to me the most at this event was just how passionate Career Education teachers, school staff, principals, and District staff are about their students and the opportunities that they have before them.  There are amazing careers awaiting our students, if they take advantage of the resources that we have to support and guide them in their initial steps into industry, professional designations, work and life in general. 

Now back at work in Dawson Creek, I am busy trying to continue to coordinate the provision of opportunities for our students in this dynamic, changing, economic climate.  What a great endeavor to be a part of.