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NOVA SCOTIA’S EXPERTISE IN WORKFORCE STRATEGY, SKILLS AND LEARNING IN DEMAND ABROAD.
(28 August 2010)
A special new Energy project focused on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is being executed by EXXON Mobil through its subsidiary, ESSO Highlands Limited. This is a multi year project valued at $15 Billion, and takes advantage of Cape Breton University (CBU) and NSCC expertise in the specialized area of workforce HR development.
A significant part of this project is the education and training of the native Papua New Guinea people who will operate and maintain this very large plant. A Canadian Company, Learn Corp International (www.learncorp.ca) (LCI) will provide this learning in a three and a half year program in PNG and Canada. LCI offers world-class training facilities with its two key partners, Cape Breton University and the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC). LCI focuses on developing and managing corporate education and training programs, particularly those that have international and/or eLearning components. Although LCI has a business relationship with Cape  Breton University, LCI functions primarily as an “aggregator” of education and training resources to meet clients’ education and training needs. LCI has the mandate to train people to operate and maintain this plant.
Port Moresby, the capital of PNG is the base for this project. A key member of the LCI team in PNG is Graham McDermott, (Pictured at left in photo above) who is well remembered as a particularly successful Principal of the NSCC Akerley Campus until his retirement a year ago.
Read more - click here
See Graham's Photos click here
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A WORKFORCE FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS
HOW ARE WE DOING? ONE YEAR LATER LET'S RE VISIT THE FORUM. Tell us via execdir@hrpartnership.ca what you sense and think about what we have achieved.
These were our FLIGHT 100 SUMMARY AND PARTICIPANTS’ CONCLUSIONS
More than 100 people from all parts of our A&D workforce constituency (including the Armed Forces) were active participants in Flight 100. They were joined for much of the Forum by as many as 100 Aviation Institute and High Schools students. Their consensus - this was the best of the series which began in 2003. Here are the more important recommendations of Forum Participants.
Develop and Maintain an HRP Strategic Plan
The HRP should develop and regularly update a Strategic Plan which outlines the particular Programs, Projects and Activities to be undertaken during a rolling two or three year period. This is not to imply that every program, project or activity should be of any continuous or fixed duration, but facilitation and encouragement of partnerships and collaboration with the several components of our constituency is a critical part of our year by year strategy.
Our biggest issue is that of awareness in its broadest sense. There are several audiences and key messages appropriate to any awareness enhancement strategy. Our awareness program must (inter alia) be aimed at potential members of our industry workforce, as well as at the public - of the place of our industry sector as a place for high-value career paths, and as a major contributor to economic prosperity, and at Government and regulatory policy makers, and at all who can improve opportunity for under represented groups through improving Diversity and Sensitivity Awareness programs.
(This is a recurring yet-to-be-satisfied recommendation from previous Forums) See more below.
Connect High School Curriculum to”real world”. Extend this to the broader schools systems. Involve companies in this new model for learning. Broaden co-op rules so that students can do their co-op where they live, not just where they are studying. (Another example of lack of a national vision and national standards in education)
Influence government to include aerospace and defence in core course funding. We must increase industry involvement, and should consider a form of co-commitment by companies and students themselves where an agreement exists which commits a company to employ selected students, and on completion, confirms loans into grants for their selected future employees as the programs continue. Such assisted tuition models can work very well. We must find a way to reduce student debts, mitigate risks to them, and increase the participation rate in sectors like ours where we know that demand is going to be high.
We need to be able to readily recognize what people have already learned or experienced, so that no one ever has to start a lesson twice. Also important is recognising the knowledge and skills acquired informally and on the job. PLAR is often a problem for new Canadians. It is also true in our own country, where for lack of a single ministry of education and national visions and standards, each province (like many professional societies parochial interests and unions) jealously protects its own thoughts and ideas. We need PL AR to deal with these domestic discrepancies as well.
Think Social networking – current technology and its social use midst expanding numbers of people. Such systems as Face book, YouTube, Tweeting, texting, blogging are all examples of the new way in which many people communicate. On-line multimedia conferencing and learning is the norm. Websites still work well. But it’s increasingly a virtual world, though no less real for this being the milieu of the day.. We must be part of it.
Sow some new seeds
What about a Federal Minister of education? We have one for health now. Let’s make skills and learning a national, not a provincial based set of standards.
Let’s not wait three years for our next Forum. How about 2011?
Lots to get on with – lots to achieve, lots to then benefit from – for all of us!
The forum concluded at 1200 30 April.
Read more and download the Full Forum Report click here
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HRP COMMUNICATIONS AND AUDIT PLAN DELIVERED!
Moving ahead from the Flight 100 Summary and Participants conclusions, Davidson and Greenwood Communications were engaged to look into the "Broad Awareness Program" and other points raised. Their report was completed in October 2009, and can be obained from the Exec Director. (execdir@hrpartnership.ca)
Members of the broader HRP constituency are all encouraged to obain it, read it and provide advice or suggestions as you see fit to our Exec Director. (execdir@hrpartnership.ca) Much of what is recommended can be done for little or no cost; and much will require a significant infusion of new funding. Below is a summary of the Davidson and Greenwood findings.
The HRP is highly regarded by stakeholders who are aware of the organization and understand its function. The primary issue is a lack of skilled labour and the need to foster a labour pool in Nova Scotia. The HRP needs to clarify what it is they want the schools to deliver – the skills and the outcomes.
Canadian citizenship and the very restrictive ITAR requirements that are driven by the United States. ITAR rules restrict certain information, which might be considered strategic in relation to security, from being shared with immigrants who are not Canadian or American citizens. The industry would like to bring in skilled immigrants but are prevented from doing so. This is the single largest limiting factor in finding skilled people.
Most stakeholders believe that the HRP is doing a good job but faces so many limitations, and realize that they cannot do it alone. They are doing a great job with very limited resources. What the consultants has concluded is there is a high level of support for the work of the HRP. Key stakeholders realize limitations and it is therefore imperative for the HRP to get these stakeholders more engaged. They need to be partnering with stakeholders and become part of a bigger effort. They need more industry support. Some stakeholders feel that the HRP is not sustainable.
Most stakeholders appreciate the level of communications and efforts that are made by the HRP but overall the general consensus is there is room for improvement. They need to better define their role and do a better job at making the distinction between the HRP and ADIANS.
Most stakeholders felt that the HRP should be the voice for the industry for human resource issues. As a body of professionals who can speak for the industry, they need to address issues related to standards, and facilities for training. They also feel that the HRP should take on the ITAR issue and start communicating to government in this regard.
Stakeholders would like to better understand the strategic direction for the HRP – what are their priorities – what are outcomes that it has experienced. There is an excellent opportunity for the HRP to implement a communications strategy.
If effectively communicated over the next couple of years, this opportunity will gain momentum and will assist the HRP in being understood and supported by stakeholders.
§ Based on the communications audit, the HRP and ADIANS must work as a cohesive group to further educate its stakeholders. A communications plan will focus on:
§ • Building awareness around the work of the HRP
§ • Building awareness around the role of the HRP
§ • Build awareness amongst stakeholders around the issues facing the aerospace and defence industry, in particular, shortage of skilled labour
§ • Build awareness around the potential of career viability in the sector
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FLIGHT 100 - NEW CONCEPTS OF LEARNING – TINKER OR TRANSFORM?
What's new in learning – The challenge?
In these difficult days, wherever we go, and with whom ever we talk, adaptability, and agility, change, even transformation are under discussion. Do we need new models, new ways to satisfy the needs of society in general and more importantly, society’s lifeblood - the engine of our economy, - industry and its skilled workforce as a sector, and its members individually?
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Dr Dodds.
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Dr. McArthur -Blair
Mr Ray Ivany
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| In this dynamic economic period, do globalization and competitiveness, and much shortened time-to-market opportunities demand new concepts? Do we need change if we are to have success, continued employment, and eventual stability and sustainability? What about a value proposition? Do we benchmark and evaluate learning outcomes as a measure of value to customer and the investor?
What are we doing about it? Are we sitting back, and hoping that tinkering with “tried and true” traditional and perhaps no longer completely relevant attitudes and systems will get us out of it?
This was discussed at Flight 100 – our 2009 Workforce Strategy and careers Forum on 29 and 30 April at the NSCC Aviation Institute. A Blue Ribbon panel consisting of Dr. Colin Dodds, President of Saint Mary’s University, Mr Ray Ivany, President of Acadia University, and Dr Joan McArthur-Blair will look at new things being done now, and look to the future. They will do so within the context of the needs of a changing society, economy, and companies and individuals who are or wish to be contributing and challenged members of our workforce. They will also look at new approaches which can be achieved through new ideas, new tools and new technologies, and innovative learning strategies.
The Full background paper for this session can be downloaded here.
ON THE LEVEL - WOMEN IN AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE
One of the objectives of the Human Resources Partnership has been to attract and retain more women in the aerospace and defence industry. Our surveys and studies have clearly indicated that a major part of the solution to dealing with the skills shortages in Atlantic Canada is to increase the number of women in skilled trades and technology positions, and in particular the aerospace and defence sector..
This project was initiated to"move the yardsticks". The HRP collaborated with industry, educators, members of the workforce and career seekers and supported this Project as it progressed.
The result of considerable effort by many over 20 months is this very progressive guide which we believe will provemost useful in helping to fill essential, high quality jobs here in Atlantic Canada.
To see the full report, click here..
NEW AEROSPACE PROGRAMS TO BE DEVELOPED AND OFFERED AT NSCC -
 On 4 February, NSCC President Dr. Joan McArthur-Blair and the Minister of Labour and Workforce Development Hon. Mark Parent announced support for training for individuals interested in joining the Aerospace Industry. The Department committed to providing a one-time program development fund of $360,000 for aviation training at NSCC. NSCC is passing on these savings and will reduce tuition for students entering aviation programs in 2009 by 25%. Click here to read the Minister's speaking notes. Shown at left are Graham MacDermott, Principal, Akerley Campus, David Cogdon, Executive Director, Human Resources Partnership, Dr. Joan McArthur-Blair, President NSCC, and The Hon Mark Parent, Minister of Labour and Workforce Development.
The funding is for the development of an Industrial Engineering Technology program. This is a modular progrom instigated by the HRP with its Industry, education and government partners. The fund will also support the addition of a new program - AME(S) - Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures) which is a ten month certificate program that will provide students with the skills they need to maintain the structural integrity of aircraft.
These developments are the result of the highly collaborative efforts of Industry, educators and NS government policy makers and the HRP whose catalytic efforts continue to pay dividends for the Aerospace and Defence constituency
There was also an article in 4 February Chronicle Herald Business Section C entitled "Subsidies cushion aerospace training"
To see the NSCC news release and learn more about the program visit - www.nscc.ca/aviation. click here The College is currently recruiting.
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This guide has been prepared by the Human Resources Partnership and the NS Office of Immigration to help you understand the options that may exist