CONSULTATION 2
PublicSector
Consultation 2 involved employers and community
members from the public sector, including healthcare,
social services, mental health, and education. Sixty-three
people attended.
Participants in this consultation viewed leadership,
mentorship, partnership, and advocacy as important
contributions the University makes to the community.
They most commonly identified communication,
confidence, leadership, flexibility, and collaboration as key
skills that people should acquire from their university
education. Compassion, lifelong community engagement,
and service were seen as important characteristics that
community-based learning could inspire.
Many participants encouraged the University to engage
students with fields that would support employment
related to aging populations, noting that the needs and
aspirations of this demographic are evolving, requiring
more creative and innovative services and approaches.
Participants also noted that this population can be an
important source of expertise and mentorship for current
students, a resource universitiesmay be overlooking.
Participants also emphasized the importance of adaptability and flexibility for those seeking careers in the public
sector. They argued for a more integrated, mutually beneficial approach to trades, college, and university
education. Noting the growing importance of “community hub” approaches to public sector services, which
integrate services from various fields in the interest of more holistic and efficient client care, they advocated for
more interdisciplinary andmulti-disciplinary study, where students from different fields collaborate. Thismodel was
advocated for both inter-professional collaboration and greater breadth of study across the institution.
Participants suggested that more, and more effective, career-planning programs would help students to better
understand their own potential contributions to theworkforce. Curriculum design should enable early opportunities
to determine whether a given profession is a good fit for a student, and more explicit assessment of students’
potential fit during application processes. Finally, while advocating for breadth of experience, the currency of
students’ core knowledge of the profession is critical, as is developing the attitude that professionals need to
continue learning throughout life.
Report onCommunityConsultations:Winter 2017
