Dear CACEE Members,

I know this a busy time of year for all CACEE members, but I wanted to wish you great success working with students on campus and during the Fall recruitment cycle. Your national association has been active on many fronts over the past several months, and we have plans underway for more activity as we move into 2016. On behalf of the CACEE National Board, I would like to update you on some of our recent activities and our plans for the coming year.

Throughout 2014-2015, CACEE members have been involved in a number of successful PD events across the country. These events are largely volunteer driven and speak to the dedication and professionalism of our members. Without their commitment we would not be able to offer these learning opportunities to our members. Below is a summary of these activities:

• In November 2014, CACEE members organized an Oil and Gas / Educator Forum in Calgary. This forum brought together 17 energy sectors organizations and 18 post-secondary institutions to share recruitment challenges and best practices in the industry. The exchange of ideas was very positive and will lead to future events being held in Calgary.
• In December 2014, CACEE held the year end professional development conference (YEPD) in Toronto. Over 120 attendees spent a day together, engaging in professional development and networking, following an inspiring keynote address from Dr. Greg Wells, Corporate Olympian.
• From October 2014 to March 2015, CACEE ran the Career Educator Certificate Webinar series. CACEE members from across the country contributed their expertise via national webinars reaching over 150 participants. 
• In May 2015, CACEE partnered with the Association for Co-operative Education in BC to co-host a regional professional development conference in Kelowna, BC. This conference was attended by over 125 delegates and was a great example of how partnerships with other associations can bring continuing education to our members. The conference was also a financial success, bringing $15,000 in profit to each association.
• In June 2015, CACEE hosted the National Conference in our nation’s capital of Ottawa. The organizing committee and volunteers did an amazing job organizing and planning this conference and I would like to thank them for their hard work and dedication over the last year. This event was also special due to a partnership with Education at Work Ontario (EWO). One of our association’s strengths is our ability to form partnerships across the country and we look forward to continuing these alliances when we are able.
• In September 21st, 2015 the CACEE Atlantic Regional Advisory Board hosted the Campus Recruitment Summit in Halifax, NS. This one-day professional development and networking event brought together campus recruitment experts and employers from across the region to share best practises and information.
• On December 8^th, 2015, the Ontario Regional Advisory Board and Ontario CACEE members will be hosting the Ontario Regional Conference at Ryerson University. The planning committee is busy with all the preparations and it looks like a wonderful professional development opportunity. Stay tuned for more information on this event.

CACEE Board Activities

After the CACEE National Conference the National Board made the decision and commitment to engage in a strategic planning session.  National Board members met for two days on August 10 and 11 to evaluate, strategize and develop a plan for the next 3 years.  It was an intense two days that will set a direction and a template for the National Board to follow.  We hope to have a summary report completed in mid October.

In the spirit of listening and communicating with our membership, the National Board will be changing how we meet throughout the year. Historically, the CACEE National Board has met in-person 4 times a year: August, December, March, and June. It was proposed that we look at alternative options to reduce cost, so we will be implementing virtual meetings for our March National Board Meetings. We will continue to look at more efficient and cost cutting strategies throughout the year.

As President, I have made a commitment to meeting as often as possible with the four CACEE Regional Advisory Boards (RAB) across the country. (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, West). These RAB’s represent the regions of the country and are the backbone of CACEE.  I would like to thank all of the Chairs and volunteers for the work you do. Your RAB Chairs are:

Atlantic:  Christine Frigault
Quebec: Lorrie Quigg
Ontario: Frances Humphries
West: Corrine Bell 

If you would like to become more active in your RAB, then I would recommend that you contact me or Paul Smith and we will put you in touch with our Chairs.

Connecting with the CACEE President

I truly value your voice and encourage you to connect with me regarding any topic related to CACEE. Through open dialogue, communication and transparency we can make our association stronger.

Please follow me on my social media and digital channels:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnread
Twitter: @wsread
Scoop.it Career Education: http://www.scoop.it/t/career-education
Scoop.it Distance Learning and Technology: http://www.scoop.it/t/distance-learning-and-technology
Scoop.it Experiential Learning Research: http://www.scoop.it/t/experiential-learning-research

And I invite you to follow CACEE as well:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/CACEE-ACSEE-882447/about
Twitter: @followcacee

Thank you!