Accelerating evolution in B.C.’s employee capability and institutional agility

The pace of industrial evolution is accelerating and the scope of change is expanding. While not necessarily a revolution, industry and government leaders are paying serious attention to an accelerated evolution. This changing pace of change will force our primary to post-secondary educational institutions to revisit just how they can foster innovation, agility and adaptability to a new industrial and economic reality. The phrase “Industry 4.0” seems to keep popping up in trade publications, higher education news sources and in … Continued

Preparing Graduates for Future Knowledge Practices

Teaching and learning environments as model workplaces.  By Thomas Carey  January 8, 2017 I was in several meetings last month with groups of higher education Vice-Presidents with oversight for teaching and learning, where the topics of discussion included the increasingly dynamic knowledge environment which our graduates are facing. The capsule summary of the workplace knowledge dynamics from one of these meetings was daunting: “We expect most of our graduates will enter work contexts where they will soon face the following new challenges: … Continued

Four ways PSE can treat the classroom as an innovative workplace

Higher education’s approach to fostering students’ innovation potential has focused mostly on developing innovation leadership among a select cadre of students, originally in entrepreneurship and more recently in social sector innovation. But what about the rest of our graduates: what capability do all our graduates need if they’re going to engage effectively with innovation in the workplace? Can elements of this capability be adapted to enhance their roles as community members and global citizens as well?  In order to develop … Continued

NEWS RELEASE: Skilled Worker Shortage Costs B.C. Billions

December 13, 2016 VANCOUVER – A shortage of educated and skilled workers is costing British Columbia’s economy $7.9 billion in forgone GDP and governments $1.8 billion in lost tax revenues, says a new report from the Conference Board of Canada. The report, Post-Secondary Education Skills for a Prosperous British Columbia – 2016 , says British Columbia’s prosperity is being limited by a shortage of workers with the right education and skills to meet the needs of a growing economy.  Continued…

Canada Learning Bonds make grade with Nanaimo parents

Richard Watts / Times Colonist December | 13, 2016 06:00 AM Rose Touchie, a Nanaimo mother of three, is making time to upgrade her education at Vancouver Island University and is always happy to be in class.“I just think it’s great,” Touchie, 30, said in an interview. “I’m what people basically just call ‘a nerd.’ ” She and partner Shane Hnetka, 27, also had few worries about turning their kids into nerds when they decided to sign them up for … Continued

Vancouver Sun – Opinion: Investing in student success pays dividends

B.C. leads the nation in job creation, low unemployment and robust economic growth. Linked to this prosperity is a talented and creative workforce of British Columbians who have been educated in our universities, colleges and institutes. Today, 70 per cent of B.C. jobs are filled by employees with post-secondary credentials — a number that is forecast to steadily rise in the years ahead. This was not always the case. As recently as the early 1990s, the workforce was evenly split … Continued

Dr. Thomas Carey appointed as Executive-in-Residence for Teaching & Learning Innovation

Dr. Thomas Carey appointed as Executive-in-Residence for Teaching and Learning Innovation, at the BC Association of Institutes and Universities (BCAIU). Reporting to BCAIU President Ruth Wittenberg, Dr. Carey will provide consultation and advice to BCAIU on inter-institutional collaboration to advance teaching and learning, and will serve as Executive-in-Residence beginning May 1, 2016. Dr. Carey currently works with higher education institutions, networks and systems in Canada and the U.S., on leadership strategy and faculty collaborations for exemplary teaching and learning environments.  … Continued