Canada-Alberta International Conference on Competing for Skills

Panelists

Panel 1

  • Ms. Cathy Faber
    Director of Innovative Learning Services at the Calgary Board of  Education - Canada
    Ms. Faber led the Innovative Services Team to create a comprehensive learning portal for the Calgary Board of Education.  Building a learning ecosystem that connects learning to web-based environments was the focus of this research and development initiative designed to stimulate and support student/staff learning in and out of school.  Developed for an urban school district, the main goals are to extend and enhance student learning and to provide learning environments that extend anytime, anywhere through the use of ICT.

  • Dr. Tom Karmel
    Managing Director of the National Centre for Vocational Education      Research
    Dr. Karmel took up the position of Managing Director, National Centre for Vocational Education Research in August 2002.  Prior to this position Dr. Karmel has held senior positions in the Federal government in the areas of education, employment, labour market research and the Bureau of Statistics.  His research interests have centered around the labour market and the economics of education.   

    Dr. Karmel has a doctorate from the Australian National University in the area of economics of education. Currently, he is President of the Economics Society of Australia, South Australia branch.

  • Mr. Michel Aribaud
    Policy Officer, Directorate General Education and Culture
    Mr. Aribaud is a policy officer with the European Commmision. He is responsible for the European credit for vocational education and training project. Mr. Aribaud’s previous work experience includes a roles as the Inspector in charge of vocational education and training and the Advisor for vocational adult education and training.

    Mr. Aribaud has published several scholarly articles on vocational education in primarily French publications.

    Mr. Aribaud holds higher degrees in History.

  • Mr. Greg Michaud
    Dean,  Centre for Academic Learner Services (CALS) at SAIT Polytechnic
    Since joining SAIT Polytechnic in 2006, Mr. Michaud has led two institutional strategic priority task teams focused on excellence of learner experience and teaching excellence, as well as a third collaboration with the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School District to develop a dual credit high school/post secondary certificate in retail pharmacy. As Dean, his responsibilities also include management and leadership for Career Pathways, Aboriginal Student Resources, the SAIT Library, English Language Foundations, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition, Student Disability Services, Testing and Tutoring Services, Learning Skills Services, the Skills Investment Program, SAIT Summer Camps, Academic Upgrading, as well as core instruction in introductory computers, career communications, mathematics and sciences.

    A registered psychologist, Mr. Michaud has a bachelor of education degree from the University of Alberta, a master of education degree from the University of Toronto, and completion of doctoral coursework in special education at the University of Alberta.

  • Honourable Anne Tolley
    Minister of Education
    Anne Tolley is the MP for the East Coast; a large and diverse electorate which stretches from Gisborne, around East Cape and through to the Whakatane plains.

    Anne was first elected to parliament on the National Party list in 1999, and was appointed Spokesperson on Women's Affairs and Early Childhood. In 2005 she returned to parliament and was elected Junior Whip, and given the Child, Youth and Family portfolio. Anne remains passionate about securing a healthy and secure environment for children, youth and families, and campaigns strongly against family violence and child abuse.

    In 2006 Anne was elected Senior Whip, the first woman to hold the position in the National Party. In 2008 she took over the Education portfolio. Anne Tolley was re-elected as MP for East Coast in the 2008 General Election, with an increased majority, and was appointed Minister of Education, Minister for Tertiary Education, and the Minister responsiblefor Education Review Office.

    Anne lives in Gisborne with her husband, and has three adult children. Anne is a former Hawkes Bay Regional Councillor, a Napier City Councillor and was the Deputy Mayor of Napier City. Before entering parliament Anne was an active Rotarian, served on the Napier Girls' High Board of Trustees, and was a Trustee of the Hawkes Bay Community Law Centre.

Panel 2

  • Ms. Natalia Cuddy
    Senior Research Manager for Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency - United Kingdom
    Ms. Natalia Cuddy is a senior research manager at the UK Government's London-based Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). She is also the UK National Coordinator for the European Vocational Education Training (VET) ReferNet, the Cedefop Network of Reference and Expertise in VET, and a consultant for the British Council. She has a diverse educational background and extensive work experience in a range of roles – lecturer, VET researcher, international development and research project manager.

    Since joining QCA in 2002, Ms. Cuddy has been involved in a number of the European Union (EU) studies associated with the achievement of the Lisbon goal, particularly the Maastricht study on VET development across Europe. Recently, Ms. Cuddy worked on two major studies for the European Commission (EC) and Cedefop, analysing the 32 national reports on lifelong learning policies and on the developing use of learning outcomes in European education and training systems. Ms. Cuddy is the author of several VET-related policy reports for Cedefop (VET in the UK, Short Description for the UK EU presidency; Development of Skills and Competences and Innovative Pedagogy, among others).
    Ms. Cuddy has also contributed to the OECD study on Recognition of Informal and Non-formal Learning, as well as other comparative and international research.

    In 2006, Ms. Cuddy acted as a thematic expert on integration of migrant population through learning programmes at the G8 expert group meeting in Moscow.

    For five years, in the mid-90s, Ms. Cuddy worked at the European Training Foundation, an EU decentralised agency, on the VET and Human Resource Development reforms in the countries of the former Soviet Union.

  • Dr. Ursula Renold
    Director of the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology - Swiss Conferation
    Dr. Renold is the Director of the Federal Office for Professional  Education and Technology (OPET) with the Ministry of Economics. Her previous work experience includes a role as the Deputy Director of the Federal Office for OPET and head of the Department for Professional Education. Dr. Renold was previously the Director of the Swiss Pedagogical Institute for Vocational Education.

    With the Frey Academy in Zurich, from 1994 to 2000, Dr. Renold was involved with the design and implementation of continuous education courses for teaching staff in primary schools, grammar schools, secondary schools, institutes of further education, universities and vocational schools (individual coaching, courses, teacher groups, school groups).

    Dr. Renold has been involved with two research projects on the Innovation and Efficiency in the Education System and Systemic Reorganisation and the Individual Autonomy in Post-university Professional Education (with the Department of Medicine, University of Basle). Dr. Renold has written 8 books and 14 articles primarily on school autonomy, history of educational systems and teacher training.

    Dr. Renold holds a BA. in History, Economics and Sociology from the University of Zurich, Switzerland and a Doctorate in the History of Education from the University of Bern, Switzerland.

  • Mr. Seamus Hempenstall
    Principal Officer in the Department of Education and Science - Government of Ireland
    Since joining Ireland's Civil Service in 1997, Seamus Hempenstall has held a variety of positions in a number of Irish Government Departments. From January 2008, Seamus has been a Principal Officer in the Department of Education and Science, responsible for the administration of further and adult education in Ireland. Prior to this post, Seamus worked in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, dealing with refugees and asylum seekers and later in that Department's Press and Information Office. Subsequently, Seamus moved to the Department of Foreign Affairs where he dealt with Northern Ireland issues and then, as a diplomat, represented the Department in the United States and Europe. Seamus then worked in Ireland's Revenue Commissioners for a period. Seamus also worked as a volunteer teacher in a college and as a consultant for the British Council in Tanzania.

    Seamus holds a degree in Politics and Masters of Arts from Trinity College, Dublin.

  • Ms. Margaret McKinnon
    Group Manager of Youth and Industry Skills Group - Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
    Margaret McKinnon is the Group Manager of the Youth and Industry Skills Group in the Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. She manages a range of programs and policy issues for the vocational education and training system and its role in the government's agenda of supporting jobs for today and teaching skills for the jobs of tomorrow. This includes responsibility for apprenticeships, adult learners and capital and IT infrastructure. Ms. Mckinnon is also the Head of the Office for Youth whose primary responsibility is to provide a whole government approach to issues impacting young Australians.