Education (Post-Secondary)

Alberta’s post secondary institutions are world class in every respect. However, as more and more young people work towards acquiring the skills necessary to succeed in the global economy, it is becoming apparent that we need to take better advantage of new educational opportunities made possible by evolving internet and communication technologies.

We should start by investing in internet-based learning and other technologies for the purpose of opening up thousands of additional post secondary spaces without having to spend billions of taxpayer dollars unnecessarily on increasingly outdated teaching methodologies and infrastructure.

Furthermore, despite pouring billions of dollars into our post secondary institutions, one of Alberta’s greatest hindrances to continued economic growth is a shortage of workers with skills in the trades and professions we most desperately need.

Establishing a program that forgives student loans incurred by graduates who come to, and remain in, Alberta to practice a trade or profession of high need, over an extended period of time, would be a good first step in addressing this issue.