AERR: Career pathways

Priority 1: Promote Growth and Success for All Students
Goal 2: Success for Every Student
Outcome 4: Students are supported and prepared for life beyond high school

Alberta Education's Assurance Domain: Student Growth and Achievement
Provincial Outcome: Alberta’s students are successful

Annual Education Results Report 2023-24 ǀ AERR Overview

Performance Measures

83% of students completed high school within three years of entering Grade 10.
92% of students completed high school within five years of entering Grade 10.
1.8% was the dropout rate in 2023-24.
74% of Grade 12 students were eligible for the Rutherford Scholarship.
80% of teachers and parents agree students are taught attitudes and behaviours that will make them successful at work when they finish school.
76% of families agree their child’s being taught knowledge skills and attitudes necessary to be successful in life.
86% of families, staff, Grade 12 students and community members are confident EIPS implements strategies that support and prepare students for life beyond high school.

Additional Information:
AERR: Career Pathways (see pg. 44-50)

Results

Results from the Alberta Education Assurance (AEA) survey help EIPS stay informed about how it’s doing relative to achieving outcomes that lead to success beyond senior high. Data from the 2023-24 AEA survey confirm the Division continues to show positive achievement in several important areas for senior high students. For example, the Division’s five-year high school completion rate remains strong, with an impressive 92% of EIPS students graduating within five years of entering Grade 10. Provincewide, the percentage was 88%. Similarly, EIPS’ dropout rate is just 1.8%. That’s impressive, especially compared to the provincial average of 2.5%. Both measures earned a provincial rating of “very high.” Also noteworthy, 73.5% of students were eligible for the Rutherford Scholarship—earning and maintaining a provincial evaluation rating of “high.”

In terms of preparing students after senior high, according to the survey, 80% of teachers and parents agree EIPS teaches students the attitudes and behaviours needed to make them successful after they finish school. That’s good news, and, consistent with the results from last year. That said, it is below the provincial average of 83%. EIPS would expect the two results to be more aligned. So, after digging a bit deeper into the data, the results show the percentage of students and parents who are “very satisfied” increased in 2023-24, which is good news. But, so did the proportion of students and parents who are “very dissatisfied,” mostly at the junior high level, which the Division believes is a one-time anomaly.

EIPS also conducts its own annual survey, the 2023-24 EIPS Annual Feedback Survey. Results from that survey show 86% of respondents—made up of school families, staff, Grade 12 students and community members—are confident that EIPS implements strategies that support and prepare students for life after high school. The result is up significantly from the previous year, 79%, and aligns with the provincial AEA result, which provides further evidence the AEA dip is a one-off. However, to ensure it is, EIPS is looking into why its AEA result is down in this area and simultaneously working with junior high teachers to help rectify any concerns.

In fact, EIPS has already expanded its career education efforts into the junior high grades. Phase 1, launched in 2023-24, included building relationships with careers and technology foundations (CTF) teachers—working directly with them, providing ongoing professional learning and revamping CTF course descriptions. In 2024-25, the Division will roll out Phase 2, offering more professional learning, building teacher engagement and establishing Career Pathways facilitators at all junior high schools. The goal: To align all the CTF courses with the career and technology studies (CTS) course outlines and strengthen connections between curriculum outcomes and the related occupations.

Turning to areas of concern, the Division is focused on two measures. The first: Alberta Education’s assurance measure for the percentage of high school students transitioning to post-secondary, including apprenticeships, within six years of entering Grade 10—dropping to 62% from 65%. Although lower, the result is higher than the province by more than two percentage points and comparable to EIPS’ three-year average data for the measure. Interestingly, though, when you look closer into the results, the percentage of graduates choosing to move into apprenticeships over academic post-secondary programs is climbing—rising to 121 students in 2023-24 from 86 in 2022-23. While EIPS is still trying to determine why that is, the reason may be the culmination of: the recent population growth leading to fewer available post-secondary spots and higher university entrance requirements, inflationary costs, EIPS’ renewed emphasis on career pathways opportunities and the province’s push for more skilled local tradespeople.

A second area relates to the number of students feeling supported by their school as they prepare for life beyond high school. On the 2023-24 EIPS Annual Feedback Survey, only 64% of students, grades 9 and 12, reported feeling supported in this area. Obviously, 64% is lower than EIPS would like. That said, year-over-year, the percentage increases, which, in all likelihood, is because of an intentional divisionwide push to find new strategies to support students in career planning and preparing for life after senior high.

Overall, EIPS is pleased with its career education results. They show EIPS is doing a good job of preparing students for life after senior high. As such, the Division will continue its efforts in this area, working with and supporting schools, students and families from kindergarten to Grade 12.

career pathways: focus

Rewind to 2021-22, EIPS introduced a new performance measure on its annual feedback survey—the number of students reporting feeling supported as they prepare for different career pathways. Back then, only 62% of learners reported feeling supported. Immediately, the Division got to work with its Career Pathways team, who put a new strategic plan in place, revamped course scope and sequence documents; shifted instructional practices for CTF, CTS, CALM, and health and life skills courses; and developed focused professional learning opportunities for staff around career education. It also established career education leads at every senior high school, who now work one-on-one with students exploring career options, and worked hard to grow its network of community partners to ensure all students, regardless of where they live, can access high-quality, practical and relevant work experience opportunities.

As already touched on, thanks to that work, EIPS is slowly seeing an increase in the percentage of students who feel supported in their career exploration, rising a percentage point every year. The hope: To bring the percentage into the 70s over the next few years. That means continuing to offer regular professional learning, Career Pathways facilitators, collaborative teacher-learning opportunities, related engagement sessions and aligning curriculum outcomes with age-appropriate career exploration.

In 2023-24 alone, EIPS hosted 15 career pathways professional learning sessions, reaching more than 116 teachers (see pg. 46, “The big picture"). The Division also hosted fairs throughout the year, including its annual Your Future: Post-Secondary and Career Fair—open to students in grades 9 through 12. As well, each senior high school hosted its own mini career fair. Schools also were given increased responsibility to support these, which, in turn, heightened teacher engagement and created excitement around career education with students, families and community members—many of whom volunteered their time hosting a booth relevant to their work sectors.

TABLE 1: Career Pathways professional learning offerings 2023-24

	Sessions	Participants
Careers Pathways: Facilitators, senior high	12	75
Health and Life Skills: Creating strategies and resources to meet the province’s career education direction	2	39
CALM: Creating strategies and resources to meet the province’s career education direction	1	2

Work also continued around implementing and fine-tuning a Career Pathways strategic plan, for kindergarten to Grade 12. Four key focus areas make up the plan:

Awareness (K-4) – Kindergarten to Grade 4 students build career awareness through curriculum-related teaching and learning, career days, field trips, guest speakers and natural discussion connecting curriculum to potential career sectors. It also includes ongoing Division work with the New Curriculum team to identify these connections within the curriculum units.
Understanding (5-9) – Through CTF programming, students in grades 5 to 9 explore various occupational clusters, identify passions and uncover areas of interest to better understand career possibilities. The health and life skills curriculum was also aligned with BIONIC programming, with a special focus on life-learning choices, including career education and lesson plans.
Readiness (10-12) – Through CTS programming, on-site activities, and a collegiate model, senior high students develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to enter the workplace or post-secondary education.
Communication (K-12) – Using various communication tools, staff, students, families and the community build a common language and understanding of career pathways. The tools include newsletters, resources and ongoing student opportunities notices, such as dual-credit, RAP positions and career preparation.

Using this framework, the Career Pathways team maintained an interactive repository of resources aligned with the four focus areas to help teachers, students and families start conversations and explore different pathways. Schools were also provided with a link to the EIPS Career Pathways Newsletter to include in their own communication for students and families. The aim: To help guide and support career education in classrooms from kindergarten to Grade 12. Additionally, the Division facilitated a series of teacher-collaborative sessions, grades 7-12, to support transitions from CTF to CTS instruction and enhance the clarity of the different CTF course titles and descriptions.

Adapting for change

A new collegiate model school promises to offer more options for students that give them a head start on future career endeavours

Over the last few years, Fort Saskatchewan has experienced significant growth. In fact, it’s the fastest-growing community within EIPS. One of the reasons for that is the Industrial Heartland. Already, it’s home to more than 40 companies, and many more major projects are underway or under study, which is putting, or will soon put, enrolment pressures on many of the city’s schools.

Coupled with the growth, is the age of most EIPS school buildings in Fort Saskatchewan. Many are nearing end of life, causing various operational and programming challenges for the Division. These only add to the capacity issues in Fort Saskatchewan.

To address the growth and the ageing infrastructure, EIPS has also formally requested the province, through its EIPS Three-Year Capital Plan, fund a new junior-senior high replacement school, grades 7-12, to replace Fort Saskatchewan High and Rudolph Hennig Junior High— with the ability to add 200 student spaces.

EIPS envisions a collegiate model for the replacement school—or a connected skills centre—to provide secondary students with leading-edge spaces and programming that prepares them for specific post-secondary opportunities—be it in the trades, university or the world of work. So, when students leave senior high, they have the knowledge and skills to go into the field they want to be in, including:

power engineering;
skilled trades, such as welding and mechanics;
health-care;
early childhood education; or
other professional designations.

Ultimately, the goal is to provide learners with 21st-century spaces; to prepare them to work in the sectors that exist within the areas they live in—both now and in the future; and ultimately, ensure they contribute to the prosperity of the community in which they live. Through that, EIPS can ensure it provides high-quality, student-centred education to every student in Fort Saskatchewan.

career pathways: work experience

In terms of career education credits, EIPS students earned 2,170 credits in 2023-24. That translates to an impressive 53,750 work hours by students. Of those, 946 credits were earned through RAP, totalling 23,650 work hours by 54 students. Another 1,174 credits were earned by 180 students through the work experience program, totalling 29,350 work hours. EIPS also secured 226 worksites for the program—used by 234 students. And, 17 students earned 50 credits toward the green certificate, with two completing their Equine Production Technician Level 1 certification.

TABLE 2: Career Pathways dual-credit offerings 2023-24

Introductory post-secondary course	2022-23	2023-24
accounting principles	1	n/a
American sign language	1	4
animal health technician	3	6
computer science coding and robotics	n/a	2
foundations in industry workplace safety	33	60
global and sustainable tourism	n/a	1
health care aide: roles and responsibilities	n/a	16
health care aide: human body, chronic illness and disease	n/a	19
human development	30	24
power engineering	2	2
psychology	22	24
sociology	2	2
sports management: training for performance	n/a	1

In terms of dual-credit programming, students took advantage of the Division’s apprenticeship opportunities available throughout 2023-24—ranging from mechanics to esthetics. EIPS also received a $100,000 enhancement grant, through the province, to support its dual-credit options. The funds were used to upgrade several CTS labs throughout the Division, including the purchase of:

new esthetics technology;
cosmetology tools and chairs;
two tire-changing machines for mechanics programming;
three industrial stand mixers, one industrial dishwasher and two industrial freezers for culinary arts programming;
various welding equipment, such as new jackets and gloves; and
15 new virtual reality welders for its CTF programming, accessed by 135 junior high students through the Division’s lending library.

Also exciting, EIPS partnered with NorQuest College to become one of the first school divisions to offer dual-credit health care aide (HCA) programming. Two courses were offered: HCA: The Human Body, Chronic Illness and Disease; and HCA: Roles and Responsibilities—two of nine courses required to complete the Health Care Aide certification in Alberta. Students enrolled also had access to the NorQuest teaching lab and the St. Joseph Community Hospital, which they used to interact with health-care professionals, ask questions and explore opportunities in the medical sector. After completing the course, the awarded credits count toward their high school diploma and related post-secondary education.

Three other dual-credit courses were introduced in 2023-24: global and sustainable tourism, sports management and foundations in industry safety training. Again, after completing the course, all credits earned, count toward the student’s high school diploma and related post-secondary programming. Thanks to the added courses, the number of EIPS students who accessed dual-credit programming rose to 161 in 2023-24 from 96 in 2022-23.

Similarly, enrolment in apprenticeship programming increased in 2023-24—rising by 70 students. For the most part, the rise was seen in hairstyle and esthetics. The reason is most likely because the Division added an additional staff journeyperson at Salisbury Composite High, meaning more students could take the highly sought-after program. Those who complete the program receive advanced credit to MC College to complete their journey-person certification. Meanwhile, 121 students participated in EIPS’ automobile services apprenticeships, 24 students took welding apprenticeships, and 209 had cooking and baking apprenticeships. Similar to hairstyle and esthetics, once completing the programs, the credits count toward a student’s first year of post-secondary.

TABLE 3: EIPS apprenticeship CTS courses

	2022-23	2023-24
automotive service	126	121
cooking and baking	244	209
hairstyling and esthetics	244	335
Registered Apprenticeship Program	33	53
welding	24	24

In addition to apprenticeships and dual-credit programming, EIPS continued its partnerships with Portage College, NorQuest College, Olds College and AT Safety Training. The partnerships allow schools to offer a selection of introductory post-secondary courses. Students who complete the course earn both senior high credit and post-secondary credit, at the same time.

building capacity

Blazing a new path

A trip to Texas morphed into a voyage of discovery

In February 2024, Career Pathways staff travelled to Lake Jackson, Texas. The purpose: To tour Brazosport High School’s Career and Technical Education Center, a newly opened collegiate school that gives students direct pathways to post-secondary education and careers. EIPS staff spent two days meeting with staff, learning about the school, its programming and the various community partnerships. “The school’s focus is on providing ‘education with purpose,’” says Kristin Sawchuk, EIPS’ Career Pathways Supervisor who was part of the team that toured Brazosport. “Everything taught at the school had a rationale behind it. Everyone understood the ‘why’ behind the lessons. And, everyone was working together using a collaborative approach—staff, students, families, community members and industry.”

That’s precisely what EIPS hopes to emulate back at home through its proposed collegiate-style school, or skills centre, in Fort Saskatchewan. The hope is to receive provincial funding to support the collegiate model and enhance learning by building on partnerships the Division already has with Alberta Education, Advanced Education and local industry organizations. Through that, EIPS is better positioned to provide leading-edge spaces and programming to assist students in preparing for careers, employment, apprenticeships and post-secondary education.

The big picture

Throughout 2023-24, EIPS continued its capacity-building efforts to support Career and Technology Foundations (CTF) and Career and Technology Studies (CTS) programming through various initiatives:

Career and Technology Collaboration – CTF and CTS instructors collaborated to improve course descriptions, stimulate innovative ideas and enhance assessment methods. CTS teachers also joined forces to devise assessment strategies and strengthen their CTS expertise. Similarly, senior high career and life management teachers and junior high health teachers participated in professional learning, exploring the province’s vision for career education and developing strategies to incorporate that vision within EIPS. Looking ahead, EIPS plans to conduct more collaborative professional learning sessions to build its CTF and CTS resource repository. The goal: To enhance school capacity so all students are prepared for life beyond senior high.

Career and Technology Teacher Conference – EIPS continues to work collaboratively with neighbouring school divisions to support student learning in CTS. In 2023-24, Bev Facey Community High was selected as the host site for the annual Career and Technology Studies, Career and Technology Foundations Teacher’s Conference. The conference brought together more than 250 teachers from across the province—35 from EIPS—and more than 50 presenters and vendors to learn and collaborate on new and current career and technology education trends.

Career Pathways Facilitators – Every EIPS senior high, and most junior high, school appointed a Career Pathways facilitator who served as the primary contact for students. Year-long, the facilitator worked with students and their families, exploring career options and guiding the off-campus and dual-credit programming. In-school Career Pathways facilitators helped to increase Division capacity in career education. In 2023-24, every month, the senior high facilitators met for professional learning and brought the learnings and information back to the schools. Meanwhile, junior high facilitators became the school contact for important and related information. In 2024-25, senior high Career Pathways facilitators will continue to meet monthly. The goal is to build capacity to better support students as they prepare to transition to life beyond secondary school. Career Pathways will also host two junior high professional learning meetings and continue to identify facilitators in the elementary and junior high schools.

Career Pathways Information Sessions – The Division hosted a series of career education information sessions, specifically for the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), dual-credit, green certificate and work-experience options to enhance student preparedness beyond their senior high years. These sessions provided comprehensive insights into career pathways programming and featured a dedicated question-and-answer segment with EIPS program specialists. The sessions were all hosted virtually and in person during regular intervals throughout the year, with more than 100 people attending.

Opportunities For Growth

While the Division is pleased with its five-year high school completion and dropout rates, there is room for growth in providing enhanced support for students transitioning to post-senior high. As such, EIPS will refine its Career Pathways strategic planning and align it with insights gathered through its Annual Education Results Report 2023-24. That includes developing strategies to enhance staff engagement, expanding its career education efforts, and building counsellor capacity in career education and post-secondary transitions. It will also work closely with EIPS’ Specialized Supports team to further develop a Division Counsellor Handbook, a guide for school counsellors with career advice and exploration. As well, as in previous years, the Division will find ways to continue engaging families to empower them with the means to assist their child in career planning and preparing for life after senior high.

A more obvious growth area is enriching career education throughout EIPS—through capacity-building efforts, particularly around collaborative teacher-learning opportunities. As such, it will also continue its focus on incorporating CTS and CTF programming learner competencies—critical thinking, problem-solving, information management, creativity and innovation, communication, collaboration, cultural and global awareness, and personal growth and well-being. There are also plans to incorporate these essential skills into the elementary CTF programming, grades 5 and 6, aiming to equip students with the skills to navigate unfamiliar or challenging situations successfully.

Lastly, EIPS will continue to build and develop its community partnerships to facilitate and enhance programming— off-campus education, dual-credit courses, post-secondary programs and work-integrated learning opportunities. As well, it wants to progress a collegiate-style school in Fort Saskatchewan. The goal, of course: To ensure all learners receive a high-quality, student-centred education in world-class learning spaces—spaces that prepare students for life after high school, develop career opportunities and help build the community, all at the same time. Finally, EIPS will also work to build staff capacity around Indigenous perspectives and available opportunities for students. The strategy will include focused professional learning and nurturing the concept of being in relation. The goal is two-fold: for self-identified students to continue to feel supported in their learning, and to continue to build divisionwide knowledge and understanding of First Nations, Métis and Inuit culture and history.

Priority Strategy For Education Plan

EIPS is committed to supporting students to ensure they are prepared for life after senior high. Strategies for the 2025-26 school year include:

Continue to identify Career Pathway facilitators in each EIPS school, K-12.
Continue to work with junior high career and technology foundations teachers to build course challenges that align with the program of studies.
Continue to work with elementary teachers to naturally integrate career discussions into learning activities.
Continue to work with junior high and senior high core subject teachers to identify careers that are possible if students have an interest in specific subject areas.
Work with the school-counsellor group to build capacity around career exploration and career education opportunities post-graduation.
Continue to host Your Future: Post-Secondary and Career Fair.
Build resources to support in-school career exploration to coincide with Take Our Kids to Work Day.
Continue efforts to establish a secondary collegiate school, or skills centre, in Fort Saskatchewan.
Continue to build partnerships within the Industrial Heartland area to enhance career exploration and development opportunities.
Continue efforts to enhance student opportunities by exposing learners to multiple career options—work experience, off-campus education, apprenticeships, certifications, mentoring and job shadowing.
Continue to develop and build lending library resources for career education in schools.
Update, fine-tune and implement a strategic plan for Career Pathways.