"Freddy, as a younger man, I was a sculptor, a painter, and a musician.
There was just one problem: I wasn't very good. As a matter of fact, I was dreadful.
I finally came to the frustrating conclusion that I had taste and style, but not talent.
I knew my limitations. We all have our limitations, Freddy. Fortunately, I discovered that taste and style were commodities that people desired.
Freddy, what I am saying is: know your limitations.
You are a moron."
From the movie Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
I was having a chat with Mike my spice guy, as opposed to Mike my fish guy or even Mike my cheese guy, the other day and somehow we ended up chatting about the education system. Specifically about how it seems that, finally, we are starting to see positive and substantive discussion and change around the realization that not everyone can or should simply go to university here in Nova Scotia. There is recognition that we need trades people, labourers and jobbers; society needs them and to that end perhaps we shouldn't be looking down on those that choose that path. Instead maybe we should be doing more to make choices clear and pathways open.
In the great big machinery of how the world operates we need many parts working together to make it all work. Many cogs, big and little, that while working in unison drive the working world forward. I'll leave the discussions around income equality and so on for another post or six, today simply the truth that we need everyone. And because we need everyone we should be doing more to ensure everyone has the chance to succeed.
By no stretch am I qualified to talk about curriculum as it relates to the labour market, future trends in the work force and higher education strategies as it relates to learning outcomes. But I am, as both an employer and employee in an industry that needs people to you know, work, I feel I have a few useful things to say on the subject. Both in a my world kind of discussion and as part of the larger discussion.
We need to start younger and be stronger in our convictions when it comes to preparing our kids for the future, because, quite simply, they are our future. Somehow we need to ensure we are firing on all cylinders in what we are teaching and how we are teaching to give our young people the best possible chance for both success and happiness. Look to other places in the world to see how maybe we can do better, both within the context of own province but also within the region and the country.
Here in Nova Scotia,we truly seem to be spinning our wheels when it comes to growing and addressing the things that really need to be addressed. Be it our economy, our future, our people. From doctor shortages and wait times, to an ageing work force and a lack of young people making the choices to stay here and contribute. I moved here in 1994 as a youngish person and these are the same things that were being talked about back then. It seems like a never ending parade of reports and commissions telling everyone what they already seem to know, but nobody does a thing about it.
A few years ago we had the Ivany Report that sounded the alarm on some serious issues but also talked of concrete things to do to address them. Most importantly they set goals and every political party talked about bi-partisan support for the findings. And yet we are still spitting muck as a whole. There are success stories to be sure and they should be lauded and held up for example, but for each one of those I can think of many stories that paint a different picture.
So what does that all mean? That we need to open our eyes to finding a better way for us all. We need cooks, brick layers, dry wallers and painters as much as we need doctors, nurses and engineers of all stripes. First, acknowledge this and second formulate a plan to open as many doors for people as possible. And lock step together, the private sector and the public sector need to commit to that plan. We succeed because we all succeed...or something like that right?
Now go get to work will ya.
Ciao
D
By no stretch am I qualified to talk about curriculum as it relates to the labour market, future trends in the work force and higher education strategies as it relates to learning outcomes. But I am, as both an employer and employee in an industry that needs people to you know, work, I feel I have a few useful things to say on the subject. Both in a my world kind of discussion and as part of the larger discussion.
We need to start younger and be stronger in our convictions when it comes to preparing our kids for the future, because, quite simply, they are our future. Somehow we need to ensure we are firing on all cylinders in what we are teaching and how we are teaching to give our young people the best possible chance for both success and happiness. Look to other places in the world to see how maybe we can do better, both within the context of own province but also within the region and the country.
Here in Nova Scotia,we truly seem to be spinning our wheels when it comes to growing and addressing the things that really need to be addressed. Be it our economy, our future, our people. From doctor shortages and wait times, to an ageing work force and a lack of young people making the choices to stay here and contribute. I moved here in 1994 as a youngish person and these are the same things that were being talked about back then. It seems like a never ending parade of reports and commissions telling everyone what they already seem to know, but nobody does a thing about it.
A few years ago we had the Ivany Report that sounded the alarm on some serious issues but also talked of concrete things to do to address them. Most importantly they set goals and every political party talked about bi-partisan support for the findings. And yet we are still spitting muck as a whole. There are success stories to be sure and they should be lauded and held up for example, but for each one of those I can think of many stories that paint a different picture.
So what does that all mean? That we need to open our eyes to finding a better way for us all. We need cooks, brick layers, dry wallers and painters as much as we need doctors, nurses and engineers of all stripes. First, acknowledge this and second formulate a plan to open as many doors for people as possible. And lock step together, the private sector and the public sector need to commit to that plan. We succeed because we all succeed...or something like that right?
Now go get to work will ya.
Ciao
D
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