By Barbara Simpson, from www.theobserver.ca The Observer
A new educational partnership is hoping to curb the shortfall of local skilled workers in the technology and healthcare fields expected within the next few years.
Local education officials unveiled the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) pathway at a press conference Monday. The program is a partnership between Lambton College and the Lambton Kent District School Board.
LKDSB students will now be able to spend their final high school semester specializing in technology or healthcare at Lambton College.
Students will take up to two dual credits focusing on their specialty taught by college professors. They’ll also wrap up their remaining high school credits — Grade 12 college chemistry and a Grade 12 college level math — at Lambton College.
“It’s a very exciting opportunity for our students, especially those who plan to continue on into college because it will be a seamless transition for those students and they’re going to be able to start earning college credits while they’re still in high school,” said Caroline White, special projects teacher with the Lambton Kent District School Board.
The partnership is also expected to help fill a potential need in the local workforce.
A shortfall of workers in the petrochemical, green energy and health-related fields is expected within the next few years, according to a report from the Sarnia Lambton Workforce Development Board.
This shortfall is also expected right across Canada, noted Ann Everatt, the college’s vice-president, academic.
However, she believes this new partnership will help local students “lead the way” in filling those jobs.
“I think this is really a testament to our region and the partnership between the Lambton Kent District School Board and Lambton College,” she said.
The STEM pathway is part of the Specialist High Skills Major, a relatively new program designed for high school students interested in coupling their skills and interests with their education.
All 13 LKDSB high schools offer the Special High Skills Major. About 1,000 students are currently enroled in the program, White noted.
Up to 25 students are expected to enrol in the first STEM class when it launches next February.
White said high school students already have a strong interest in the fields of technology and healthcare.
“It will fit nicely for the students and the fact that it will be a seamless transition (for further studies at Lambton College) because we’re going to be developing articulation agreements for the students, so that will be very appealing as well because they’ll walk right in and have already completed some of their first-year courses…” she said.
A parents night on the STEM program is slated for the Lambton Inn April 24 at 7 p.m.
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