“Do we give students a proper perspective on the working world?”
ANCASTER, ON– The Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools is trying to make it easier for its graduates to find jobs. The OACS has teamed up with the Canadian Christian Business Federation to measure the employability of students from Christian schools.
To do that, the two organizations developed a 13-page questionnaire which asks businesses what skills a high school graduate needs in order to be hired. The survey was sent to more than 800 businesses. The purpose of the project is to establish a more direct link between the small business sector and Christian high schools.
Hans Vander Stoep, executive director of CCBF, says that because a large portion of the budget of the almost 100 Christian schools in Ontario is paid for by parents and businesses, they deserve to know whether the education given is sufficient to find a job.
"Academics and business sometimes operate in isolation," he says. "If there isn't good interaction between business and education, they start to lose contact. How relevant is the product relative to the market? Do we give [students] a proper perspective on the working world?" he asks.
While these types of school to work transition studies are more common in the public school system, Vander Stoep says the study is unique in the Christian school context.
Another purpose of the study is to identify needs in both schools and businesses, particularly in trades and technical areas.
The survey itself asks employers to identify what type of business they are in, what level of education is required and where they recruit new employees. It also asks whether the business has hired Christian high school graduates and if so, what the experience has been like, and asks about the perceived credibility of Christian high schools.
The office of OACS in Ancaster, Ontario, where Adrian Guldemond is executive director, said it would comment on the survey when the results have been compiled in summer.
After that, a report will be sent to a steering committee and regional chairs, representing four regions of Ontario. Together they will develop a list of recommendations for both schools and businesses, ready for the fall.
The report, due out in the spring of 2000, will identify employability skills for community-based employers; propose curriculum revisions; assess job opportunities and non-degree programs, and recommend ways to make an easier transition from school to work.
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