Encouraging Education Beyond the Classroom

Don't be surprised if the person working beside you on November 4 doesn't look a day over 15. He or she may be one of thousands of Grade 9 students across the country stepping out of the classroom and into the shoes of your workmates during Take Our Kids to Work Day.

The Department of Education and Culture is sponsoring this national program which provides an opportunity for Grade 9 students to go to work with a parent, friend, relative or volunteer host. Students get an up-close and personal glimpse at the working world that awaits them after graduation.

"This program clearly demonstrates the link between the classroom and the workplace," said Education and Culture Minister Robbie Harrison. "This is an opportunity for students to gain an understanding of the transition from school to work, which may influence their choices for post-secondary education and training."

Take Our Kids to Work is an interactive or "hands-on" day that encourages students to gather information through questioning and interviewing. It stimulates youth to begin developing plans for their careers and to be aware of the kinds of preparation required for various careers.

Schools, workplaces and hundreds of Grade 9 students across the province are participating.

The program's objectives are:

• to offer students a realistic view of the world of work and to give them an understanding of its demands and opportunities;

• to allow students to understand the importance of work and its role in supporting a family;

• to emphasize that education goes far beyond the classroom walls and that preparing younger generations for the future is a community responsibility.