Indigenous internship program of the Government of Alberta
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The document discusses the Alberta Indigenous Internship Program, which aims to connect education to employment by providing internships that allow students to develop both hard and soft skills through real-world experience. It includes feedback from participants at a presentation about the program, highlighting the informative nature of the session and the opportunities available. Evidence suggests that work-based learning, such as internships, serves as a significant bridge from education to employment, emphasizing the importance of transferable skills valued by employers.
Indigenous internship program of the Government of Alberta
- 1. Internships Bridge Education To Employment. November 8, 2017. Event coordinated by Manisha Khetarpal 1 Internships Bridge Education To Employment: Government of Alberta's Indigenous Internship and Ambassador Programs Tashia Swampy is from the Maskwacis community and went to school at the Maskwacis Cultural College and completed her degree in social work from the University of Calgary. She is currently working as an indigenous intern with the Government of Alberta. Ms. Swampy did a presentation about Government of Alberta’s internship programs at the Maskwacis Cultural College Library, November 8th, 1-2 pm. The presentation focused on the Alberta Indigenous Intern Program: How the program works Who is eligible to apply Why apply for an Alberta Indigenous Intern Position Employers are expressing a desire for entry-level employees to possess the soft skills necessary to successfully move into the work environment. Prioritizing workplace-ready skill development through work force education for adults requires aligning higher education, adult education, and economic development. Internships are an educational approach to collaborating with community partners, connecting class concepts to real-world practice, and solving problems with innovative results, allowing students to develop professional skills and use academic knowledge in a practical setting. Evidence from the Kimberly Stack and Jacquelyn H Fede* study suggests work-based learning opportunities like internships have the potential to serve as a bridge from education to employment, allowing students to use both hard and soft skills with guidance and mentorship from a more knowledgeable other, such as a supervisor. Stack and Fede (2017) found that “Transferrable or soft skills are those skills necessary regardless of the field or sector of the work force. Five of the most important soft skills cited by employers as being valued in the work environment are the abilities to: Verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization; Work in a team structure; Make decisions and solve problems; Plan, organize, and prioritize work; and Obtain and process information.” Figure 1: Indigenous intern Tashia Swampy shares her experience of working in public services with the Government of Alberta
- 2. Internships Bridge Education To Employment. November 8, 2017. Event coordinated by Manisha Khetarpal 2 The feedback provided by the participants who attended the internship information session at the Maskwacis Cultural College is as follows. The Alberta Indigenous Intern presentation was very informative actually something I would like to look into. I learned that you can work in gov't. It was very interesting to learn about the gov't. It was very interesting to learn about the gov't. I always thought it was scary. I was cool to hear how much they are not against us. I really enjoyed the presentation about the GoA internship programs as it offers something for everyone and offers great employment experience. The information in presentation was good and I would encourage our community members to apply with this program. This presentation was very inspiring, also gave an amazing opportunity thinking about my future career. I'm glad and hear about the Alberta indigenous learn program. Something I am looking forward to as a young Indigenous as myself. I learned about the Alberta Public Service’s hiring process and resources. I learned about the Internship program from the Govt of Alberta. I also asked if there was any spot available for teachers and language programs. There is opportunity to apply and it's for the 4th cohort. Participants: 18 Partners: Government of Alberta’s internship program, Continuing Education, Registrar’s Office, and Student Services For more information please visit the following website: jobs.alberta.ca/students/program_descriptions.html#indigenous *Kimberly Stack,Ph.D., is the director of the Center for Career andExperiential Education(CCEE)at the University of Rhode Island(URI) and JacquelynH. Fede, M.A., is a graduate student inthe behavioral science program at URI.Shereceivedher master’s in psychology from Southern Connecticut State University anddoes assessment work for CCEE at URI. Both these researchers foundthat internships help students develop transferrable soft skills. Figure 2: Learners at the Maskwacis Cultural College Library