November 4, 2009
TAKE OUR KIDS TO WORK DAY CELEBRATED ACROSS MANITOBA– – –Province Marks Career Week by Encouraging Youth to Explore Career Options: Allan
Thousands of Manitoba youth will get on-the-job experience as they take part in Take Our Kids to Work Day today, Education Minister Nancy Allan has announced.

“Grade 9 students have the opportunity to get first-hand experience and learn new skills by taking part in Take Our Kids to Work Day,” Allan said. “This and other events during Manitoba Career Week will help youth learn about their career options and begin to plan their futures.”

Every year, approximately 14,000 Manitoba students take part in Take Our Kids to Work (TOKW) Day. Students go to work with their parents, guardians or other family members to learn what they do every day. This gives them the opportunity to learn about careers in government, construction, law enforcement, manufacturing, technology, farming and other important industries.

Most students will be involved in supervised activities that show the real working environments while maintaining the student’s safety. Students complete in-class assignments and discuss their experiences following TOKW Day. Teachers and parents have observed that many youth discover a specific interest or experience that may strongly affect their career choices.

The minister also noted that Nov. 2 to 7 has been proclaimed Manitoba Career Week. Today, the Alliance of Manitoba Sector Councils (AMSC) and Workplace Education Manitoba will hold an event at 1000 Waverley St. to celebrate Take Our Kids to Work Day. The event will include activities such as AMSC’s industry awareness game, Workplace Essential Skills Training (WEST)Centre games and activities, career information booths, career exploration on the web featuring career cruising, job futures and similar sites. Parents and students are invited to drop in with their Grade 9 students and learn about the thousands of exciting careers available in Manitoba.

An AMSC Parents’ Expo will take place on Saturday, Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1000 Waverley St. in Winnipeg. The come-and-go event will give parents and caregivers the tools and resources to guide their children in making career decisions.

“We want to support Manitobans and provide the resources they need to fully reach their potential and contribute to our economy,” said Allan. “This includes providing hands-on career information so people are able to make informed decisions about the path they want to follow in the years ahead.”

Since it began in 1994, well over 200,000 Manitoba students have participated in this day-long program sponsored by the national non-profit agency The Learning Partnership.

For more information on other Manitoba Career Week events across the province, visit www.manitoba.ca/careerdevelopment.