Re. Todd Whitcome column "Against Social Engineering"
It is not often that I agree with Mr. Whitcome on anything political, but I think he is right on the mark in criticizing any move by government to "stream" high school students towards any particular type of future employment. I strongly believe all students should keep future options open as long as possible. I know many people that were caught without the required completion of academic subjects in high school and were unable to go on to study at university when they finally had enough experience to make an informed choice of a lifetime occupation.
High salaries offered for both unskilled and trade personnel in times of booming development are a big attraction to high school graduates as it is, and many will take advantage of these opportunities when they graduate. They may later wish to enter some different profession, or their job may disappear because the "bust" portion of the normal "boom and bust" cycle of major resource development occurs. If these people then wish to enter a profession that offers longer term security and better opportunities, they will need to have completed the high school program that would allow them to pursue a new career. Those that kept their options open through their high school years will be able to make changes much more readily than those that opted, or were coaxed by the proposed new system, to take a short cut to a high paying short term job.
With respect to forecasting future job opportunities I am reminded of an illustration of the peril of this approach that was related in a course on human resources. Immediately after World War 2 there were many ex-servicemen entering the workforce and there was a major study of potential job opportunities in the post-war era. At the time, there were many tall buildings being proposed for cities all across Canada and the study found one of the biggest long-term employment opportunities would be for elevator eperators. Of course, the buildings were built but, with new technology, all the elevators were automatic and no elevator operators were needed.
Harry Gairns
Prince George
