Carleton helps adults increase opportunity through education
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Fort Simpson (Dec 15/00) - Karen Carleton is helping spread education across the region.
Fort Liard and Jean Marie River again have access to adult basic education programs (ABE) thanks in large part to her work.
Carleton, who is community programs co-ordinator for Aurora College in the Deh Cho, is also working to establish a pre-employment program in Wrigley, which would offer a combination of ABE, job skills, lifeskills and computer training.
Making programming available in Nahanni Butte is also a possibility.
"It's a pretty big job," said Carleton, who also oversees Aurora College operations in the Deh Cho, Hay River and Fort Resolution.
At the Fort Simpson campus, she envisions computer courses being made available early next year. By next fall, she'd like to see office administration and management studies courses offered as well. Safety training, which was offered through Aurora College in Fort Simpson last week, is in demand across the region, she added. Oil and gas jobs require workers who are fully certified in various safety courses.
Carleton said she sees potential for greater workplace education -- on the job training -- in the region too, particularly with oil and gas occupations like heavy equipment operators and camp cooks.
She not only has to meet the needs of students, but also offer support to the 12 adult educators in the region. She stays in contact and organizes occasional conferences and workshops for staff.
"Then they get a chance to interact with one another," she said, noting that some of the communities are rather isolated. "It can be a pretty lonely job."
Carleton's job, on the other hand, involves regular travel and interaction.
"I enjoy going to communities. It's nice to meet people and see how I can help them out with their adult education needs," she said.
As a matter of fact, she referred to establishing partnerships as one of the highlights of her job. She has forged agreements with the department of Education, Culture and Employment, secondary schools and businesses, not only to make adult education a reality in some communities, but also to help tailor the programs to meet the distinct demands in those communities.
When she's not travelling or communicating with the adult educators, Carleton has a heavy load of paperwork with which to contend. The reports, proposals and formal agreements are many. In addition, she has some homework of her own. She has started her master's degree in Educational Technology via the Internet at the University of Calgary.
"I'm the epitome of life-long learning," said Carleton, who has her bachelor of education degree from the University of Saskatchewan.
But learning isn't limited to formal institutions, she said. It can also encompass learning from elders or taking a night course.
"And it make you feel young. You feel like you're still in school," she said.
