INNISFAIL - Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) continues to work with its stakeholder partners, including Olds College, on the ground-breaking Central Alberta Collegiate Institute (CACI) initiative, says associate superintendent Jason Drent.
In a presentation to CESD trustees at a recent regularly scheduled board meeting, Drent said that work includes moving into the instruction course development phase of the project.
Construction, fabrication and mechanics course development has already been completed, with work now underway on other courses.
“One of the pieces we are excited about is creating that structure and support for our students,” Drent said in a follow-up Albertan interview. “It’s about making sure the students are experiencing skill development in their career of interest. We are in the early stages but it is growing quickly.
“We don’t wait until students are in their Grade 12 year and about to graduate before talking to them about interest in careers. Students have the opportunity (through the institute) to experience as early as that middle school level in areas they might be interested in.
“We are trying to begin that journey of allowing them (students) to have access to skill development in those areas of focus.”
The CACI partnership also includes Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools and Red Deer Polytechnic. The 11,000-student CESD is headquartered in Innisfail.
The institute will provide high school students with expanded opportunities to focus on career transitions, including hands-on training in fields of their choice.
The CACI is “committed to providing high quality career-specific experience to Central Alberta’s youth that will lead immediately to career placement following high school completion,” said CESD superintendent Kurt Sacher.
Lessons and resources will involve Grade 10-12 students in career readiness programming, while students in Grade 7-8 will be involved in various career learning experiences, he said.
“Once developed, this detailed and multi-ear career pathway model will be available for provincial use across all school authorities in Alberta,” he said.
Alberta Equation has provided $8.7 million for the first slate of the CACI starting this school year.
