Education
Education matters! Although education is not the only factor in a successful transition to employment, it is a critical one. The way in which our education system is organized, the opportunities it offers, and the curriculum it delivers, all have an impact on how students are prepared to enter the world of work. We defined education as the formal initial acquisition of general knowledge and entry-level skills for youths and adults; training is the formal further acquisition of skills required to meet the needs of a job. Education and training are integrated parts of a seamless continuum.
We consider high-school graduation to be the minimum level of education required to participate in today's labour market. The education system must facilitate school-to-work transition and equity principles must drive the education system. Every Canadian should have access to similar education opportunities leading to comparable employment opportunities. This means that members of the designated equity groups as well as students with general learning difficulties must have access to adequate and sustained support while attending school.
An education system that facilitates the school-to-work transition begins at the elementary level with career education -- a process that formally integrates an awareness of the world of work into a student's academic studies. Students learn work values, commitment and cooperation, how to work under supervision, how to make decisions, solve problems, look for jobs, handle authority, and acquire new skills. They are given the opportunity to integrate knowledge and experience drawn from the world of work back into their academic studies.