Business Leaders Voice Opinions on Education

Leaders of some of Nova Scotia's major companies will have a role in shaping the education system to create the workforce of the future.

Starting today, June 8, the Department of Education will hold a series of CEO round table discussions focusing on how business and government can work together to create a stronger workforce.

Over the next few months, the deputy minister of Education, Dennis Cochrane and senior staff from the Department of Education's skills and learning branch will meet with senior executives from a wide range of companies.

"Nova Scotia is a great place to do business, and, like the rest of the world, needs to adapt to demographic, technological and competitive change," said Mr. Cochrane. "Today's students are tomorrow's CEOs, employees and entrepreneurs, so it makes sense that the private and public sectors work together to ensure all Nova Scotians get the education and training they need to succeed."

The CEO round table discussions are part of the province's ongoing commitment to assess and prepare for the social and economic changes resulting from Nova Scotia's shifting population demographics.

The Department of Education will hold meetings over the next few months in all regions of the province. Each session will include about 20 business leaders. The discussions will focus on: employers' needs from an educational perspective; how government and business can best work together to fulfill these needs; and what active role employers have in the education system.

Today's session will include participants from ACA Co-operative Limited, A.C. Dispensing Equipment Inc., Air Canada Jazz, BMO Bank of Montreal, IMP Group International Inc., KPMG LLP, Scotsburn Dairy Group and others.

"The business community has a strong role to play in helping prepare students and current employees to advance in the workforce," said Michael Duck, president and CEO of AC Dispensing Equipment Inc., which manufactures restaurant equipment that is used internationally. "We need to work together to create the strongest education system possible and prepare Nova Scotians for the challenges of the future."

Ideas and information gathered from the session will set the direction for future planning. The Department of Education is also planning to establish a way for employers to provide input on an ongoing basis.

This Department of Education initiative is part of government's skills agenda, which is dedicated to building Nova Scotia's skilled workforce by providing education and training opportunities for current and future employees of Nova Scotia companies.

FOR BROADCAST:

Leaders of some of Nova Scotia's major companies will have a

role in shaping the education system to create the workforce of

the future.

Dennis Cochrane, deputy minister of Education, says it is

important the for the private and public sectors to work together

to ensure all Nova Scotians get the education and training they

need to succeed.

Starting today (June 8th) the Department of Education will

hold meetings over the next few months in all regions of the

province. The discussions will focus on employers' educational

needs, how government and business can best work together to

fulfill these needs, and what active role employers have in the

education system.