A Canadian think tank says Alberta business leaders must demand better results from the provincial education system.
According to a recent Business Council of Alberta survey, almost half of Alberta businesses are struggling to find workers who have required “people” skills in areas like communication and leadership.
In an open letter, Michael Van Pelt, president and CEO of Cardus, said business leaders must be become more informed about the well-being of K–12 schooling in the province and advocate more strongly for educational choice “so that all school sectors produce the graduates with the basic skills and attributes of character that all businesses rely on—and that thriving economies require.”
The Business Council of Alberta survey also found that many businesses are having difficulty finding employees with basic numeracy and interpersonal skills, as well as character attributes such as integrity and a strong work ethic.
In 2016, just 66% of Alberta employers said they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” that high school graduates are entering the workforce with the right skills and knowledge.
Van Pelt said basic skills and personal qualities develop early in life and that schooling plays a role.
“Young Albertans are being formed cognitively, socially, and ethically during these years—in ways that will apply to any future job,” he wrote.
“When young people are formed well in these key areas, they become the capable adults who can effectively contribute to Alberta’s economy and society. They become the type of people whom business leaders are eager to hire, promote, and even hand over their businesses to someday.”
He also argued that growth in educational choice is the most effective way to create the outcomes Alberta business leaders need in K–12 education. Educational choice means that the government regulates and funds education but is not the sole provider of it.
“Choice creates healthy competition among schools and sectors, leading to better outcomes overall—and at a lower cost,” Van Pelt wrote.
Only about 10% of Alberta students currently attend schools that aren’t part of the government system.
The Alberta Parents’ Union often reminds parents that Alberta leads Canada in school choice.
For example, Alberta is the only province in Canada to permit charter schools.
Former premier Jason Kenney expanded access to charter schools by eliminating the province’s legislative cap on the number of charter schools in 2019, streamlining the process for new charter school applications in 2020 and boosting funding for charter schools in the provincial budget.
