As a Career Educator, we often talk to students about their career story so I thought I give you a very brief introduction and background on mine. My name is Shawn Read and I am originally from Fredericton, New Brunswick, but moved to Western Canada 22 years ago.

Currently, I am a Tenured Senior Career Education Coordinator and Chairperson of the Career Education Department at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC.  We are a moderately sized school of 10,000 on campus students and about 12,000 distance students.

At TRU, we operate a centralized career education model and I have been fortunate to work in both Career Services and Co-operative Education.  I find working with students and employers to be a very rewarding experience and if I could define my passion for Career Education into one goal, it would be to fully incorporate Career Education, Experiential Education and Learning into the academic fabric of post-secondary institutions. 

For the last 4 years, I have been an active member on the CACEE National Board and have also served on the CACEE West Regional Advisory Board.  Volunteering for CACEE has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience for me personally and professionally.  The ability to learn from our members and being able to contribute in a meaningful way has been an empowering experience.

When I look at the rich history of CACEE and the contributions the national association has made to the career education field, it is very exciting for me to be able to contribute to it future success as your President.  We should be very proud that as members of this association we have volunteered and contributed to the educational and campus recruitment success of our students. 

CACEE Members in the Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario and Canada West regions have worked tirelessly to host and plan PD learning opportunities such as:

• Regional professional development conferences
• Employer forums
• Career webinars
• Educator/Employer certifications
• Sector specific events such as the Oil and gas educator/employer symposium
• Career Ted Talks

There really is amazing work that is happening throughout the country.  I think what attracts me most to CACEE is the inclusiveness of the association and the ability for all of us to contribute in a meaningful way.   As you know our memberships is comprised of educators, employers, affiliates and students. 

CACEE as an organization has a 360 view of career education and Campus Recruitment across the country.  Our employer and affiliate members provide the association with critical knowledge and understanding of the ever-changing labour market landscape and recruitments needs of the country, while educators are on the front line directing, educating and working with students to assist in their career success.  Students bind us together in a relationship that is critical to the overall success and future growth of the organization. 

As a result of these connections, we are in a unique position to shape and inform the career development process in the country.  We are the career development and campus recruitment experts in the country and will need to look at opportunities to further our scope within our respective institutions, organizations, government and stakeholder groups.

Over that last two days I have been asked a number of times at the conference what my goals as President will be for the coming year.  For me it is all about the team and I certainly want to build on the good work that the National Board and Regional Advisory Boards have been actively engaged in.  Particular areas of interest would be:

• Continuing to seek out opportunities to add value to members
• Work with our ED Paul Smith and MM to increase our membership
• Be fiscally responsible to all CACEE members
• Ensure that all members have a strong voice in the future of the organization
• Seek additional input from our key stakeholder group – Students
• Further explore research options for members to engage in
• Investigate partnerships

Partnerships are particularly interesting because this is currently happening.  Over the past few years the national board has engaged in discussions with our sister associations such as CAFCE, ACE BC, and EWO to partner and work with one another.  These partnerships have already led participation in regional conferences and can only make the association stronger.  As the CACEE President for 2015/2016 I will continue to seek out opportunities that can benefit the association.

I would like to sincerely thank Past-Presidents, Kerri Zanatta-Buehler, Rodney Larmand, Jennifer McCleary, and Nancy Moulday.  You have been wonderful mentors and welcomed me as part of your team.  It is this example of “Team” that I will bring forward in the coming year.

A successful team can lead to great things so it is my pleasure to now introduce members of the 2015 – 2016 National Board:

• Nancy Moulday
• Dan Relihan
• Rodney Larmand
• Arzan Bharucha
• Colleen Bangs
• Angela Kavanagh
• Eddie Piromsuk
• Sherri Dickie
• Trevor Buttrum
• Lisa Russell
• Corrine Bell
• Frances Humphreys

I look forward to working with all of you!

I would also like to acknowledge the efforts by our conference co-chairs Stephanie Harper and Trevor Buttrum, and all of the conference committee members.  You have done a tremendous job.  Well done!  The conference has been a great success and you are wonderful examples of the importance that CACEE volunteers bring to the association.

In closing, I look forward to working with all of you in 2015/2016 and encourage all members to be active participants in the association.  If you would like to message or follow me, then I may be contacted at:

Twitter:  @wsread

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/shawnread

Shawn Read, President 2015-16.