Bill 172 2014

An Act to amend the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act to establish the Advisory Council on Work-Integrated Learning

Preamble

In the global knowledge-based economy, governments have an important role to play in ensuring that students have the education, skills and practical experience needed to live meaningful and productive lives and contribute fully to growth and prosperity.

Post-secondary programs that integrate work and learning opportunities, such as field placements, practicums, clinical placements, co-operative education work terms, internships, applied research projects, and service learning, can provide significant benefits for both students and employers. When developed and implemented appropriately, these programs allow students to determine their fit with a potential career or industry while gaining practical work experience to enhance their resumes, improve their employability and increase their awareness of and confidence about future career options.

Since many employers hire graduates who worked for them as part of a post-secondary program, these programs enable employers to participate in developing the workforce skills needed for their industry or profession and to screen potential new employees. Ontario benefits from lower youth unemployment, increased productivity and a higher number of graduates who are equipped with skills that satisfy labour market demands.

While Ontario's employers and post-secondary institutions currently offer many work-related learning opportunities to students, there is much work to be done to increase the quality and number of these partnerships and to ensure that Ontario realizes the full benefits that work-integrated learning can offer. Further, it is in the interest of the people of Ontario that no student enrolled in a post-secondary program that includes a work-integrated learning component is denied the opportunity to take part.

The Government of Ontario has a responsibility to establish mechanisms to encourage, facilitate and promote these work-integrated learning opportunities in order to meet the growing demand from students, faculty and post-secondary institutions while providing high quality learning experiences.

Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

   1.  (1)  Section 1 of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act is amended by adding the following definitions:

"service learning" means work experience designed to foster civic or social responsibility and leadership that is undertaken with a local, provincial, national or international organization to address community or global needs; ("apprentissage par le service")

"work-integrated learning" means a work placement, including a field placement, a practicum, a clinical placement, a co-operative education work term, an internship, an applied research project or service learning, that satisfies the criteria in subsection (2); ("apprentissage intégré au travail")

   (2)  Section 1 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Same, "work-integrated learning"

   (2)  For the purposes of the definition of "work-integrated learning" in subsection (1), a work placement is work-integrated learning if,

  (a)  the placement is undertaken in partial fulfilment of the requirements of a post-secondary course of study or as an option within a post-secondary course of study;

  (b)  the placement is supervised by a university, college of applied arts and technology or other post-secondary institution to an extent the institution considers appropriate, as well as by an employer;

   (c)  the work, the learning outcomes and the extent of supervision are agreed to in writing by the institution, the employer and the participant before the work placement begins;

  (d)  the work is consistent with the agreed learning outcomes; and

  (e)  the post-secondary institution assists the student in critically reflecting on his or her work experience.

   2.  The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Advisory Council on Work-Integrated Learning

   3.1  (1)  The Minister shall establish an advisory group to be known in English as the Advisory Council on Work-Integrated Learning and in French as the Conseil consultatif de l'apprentissage intégré au travail.

Membership

   (2)  The Council shall be composed of at least 13 and no more than 18 individuals appointed by the Minister in accordance with this section and the regulations.

Same

   (3)  The Council shall be composed of at least one person from each of the following groups:

    1.  The Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario.

    2.  The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance.

    3.  The College Student Alliance.

    4.  Colleges.

    5.  Universities.

    6.  Organizations representing employers.

    7.  Labour organizations.

    8.  Organizations representing the faculty members of universities, colleges of applied arts and technology or other post-secondary institutions.

    9.  Professional regulatory or licensing bodies.

  10.  Workforce planning boards.

  11.  Municipal economic development offices.

  12.  Chambers of commerce or boards of trade.

  13.  The Ministry.

Chair

   (4)  The Minister shall appoint the Council's chair from among its members.

By-laws

   (5)  Subject to any restrictions in the regulations, the Council may make by-laws governing the conduct and administration of the Council's affairs.

Mandate

   (6)  The Council shall,

  (a)  advise the Minister with respect to ways to increase work-integrated learning opportunities, particularly paid opportunities;

  (b)  make recommendations for increasing awareness among employers in Ontario about,

           (i)  the benefits to employers of offering work-integrated learning opportunities,

          (ii)  resources and advice for employers with respect to providing appropriate work-integrated learning opportunities, and

         (iii)  the financial and other supports offered by governments and post-secondary institutions for employers who provide work-integrated learning opportunities;

   (c)  identify resources and supports that may assist post-secondary institutions to,

           (i)  incorporate work-integrated learning across multiple disciplines and faculties,

          (ii)  facilitate the effective delivery of work-integrated learning programs, and

         (iii)  maximize the educational benefits for students who participate in work-integrated learning programs;

  (d)  make recommendations with respect to ensuring that each post-secondary student enrolled in a course of study offering work-integrated learning is given the opportunity to participate in an appropriate placement;

  (e)  make recommendations with respect to the design and creation of a website for sharing information about available work-integrated learning opportunities in Ontario, including information with respect to,

           (i)  specific programs or courses at post-secondary institutions that include work-integrated learning components,

          (ii)  the skills of students interested in participating in work-integrated learning,

         (iii)  the work-integrated learning opportunities being offered by employers,

         (iv)  the benefits to employers of offering work-integrated learning opportunities, and

          (v)  the supports and resources available to employers and students participating in work-integrated learning;

   (f)  monitor and report on Ontario's progress with respect to work-integrated learning opportunities; and

  (g)  advise the Minister on any other matter in connection with work-integrated learning.

Reports

   (7)  The Council shall prepare an annual report on Ontario's progress with respect to work-integrated learning opportunities, and the report may include further recommendations and advice in connection with the Council's mandate.

Publication

   (8)  The Minister shall table the report in the Legislature and shall publish the report on a Government of Ontario website.

   3.  Section 4 of the Act is amended by striking out "such advisory committees" and substituting "such other advisory committees".

   4.  Subsection 13 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(a.1.1) governing the Advisory Council on Work-Integrated Learning, including the appointment of members, their terms of office, their remuneration, the selection of vice-chairs and the filling of vacancies;

Commencement

   5.  This Act comes into force three months after the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

   6.  The short title of this Act is the Learning Through Workplace Experience Act, 2014.

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act to establish the Advisory Council on Work-Integrated Learning. The Council's members are appointed by the Minister from various groups. In general, the Council's mandate is to advise the Minister in connection with work-integrated learning opportunities. The mandate also includes making recommendations with respect to a website for sharing information about work-integrated learning opportunities in Ontario. The Bill requires the Council to report annually on Ontario's progress in this area.