February 21, 2017

EducationMatters (EM), Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta (JASA) are partnering in a project that contributes to the transformation of public education in Alberta by creating new opportunities for students in nontraditional  career paths. Entrepreneurial Trades is a new financial literacy program for high school students in the Enhancing Career Pathways Project. The first pathway, Entrepreneurial Artist, was piloted in April 2014 and delivery in school started September 2014.

The second pathway, Entrepreneurial Trades, is being developed for students in the trades sector. This program will focus on trades encompassed in home building and residential and commercial construction including: concrete; wood trades; lather; interior systems; insulator; glazier; roofer; electrical; plumbers and pipefitters; finishing work; fabrications; sprinkler fitting and landscaping.

Over the last 10 years in Alberta, employment in the trades (total number of employees and self-employed individuals) increased from 146,200 (2003) to 231,300 (2013) a 58.2% increase. [Industry Profile – Construction, Government of Alberta, 2012]. JASA and CBE are working with consultants and curriculum experts to modify Junior Achievement’s (JA) Company Program for delivery to trades pathways students. Program modifications add industry and relevant elements that have alignment with the Alberta Education curriculum.

Once programs are developed and modified, a pilot will be conducted in two CBE high schools. Following successful pilot delivery and further modifications resulting from the pilot, the program will be made available to all interested schools

We would like to thank the RBC Foundation for their continued support of this program.