May 29, 1998
(Development and Rural Renewal)

New educational CD-ROM shows province's diverse economy

A new CD-ROM for high school students shows Newfoundland and Labrador's economy is diversifying and developing at a growing rate. The CD-ROM was released May 27 at O'Donel High School.

Tom Lush, MHA for Terra Nova on behalf of Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal, and Paul Mills, vice-president, ACOA-Newfoundland, on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) were on hand for the release.

"This software provides a guided tour of new, non-traditional industries that are springing up across the province," says Minister Mifflin. "It provides an overview of the changing economy of Newfoundland and Labrador with examples of specific companies that are leading the way in each sector. ACOA is proud to be involved with this project."

The CD-ROM is based on a program called "Getting the Message Out" (GMO) which the Department of Development and Rural Renewal has been delivering to high school students for several years. The department has been training Memorial University of Newfoundland business students to deliver the GMO presentation since 1994. Students give approximately 160 presentations a year to high school classes in all parts of the province. Two of these students, Michael Kidney and Mandy Fisher, narrate the CD-ROM.

"The GMO has been immensely popular - educators, students and the general public have frequently remarked on its uplifting messages," said Minister Tulk. "This CD-ROM clearly demonstrates the many successful entrepreneurs who are helping to diversify and strengthen the economy of this province. It shows there are a lot of exciting business opportunities and people are doing it, right here in Newfoundland and Labrador."

The software is also a useful research tool. Students and teachers wishing to complete projects on industries in Newfoundland and Labrador can access profiles of 90 companies. There is also a section that provides details of federal and provincial business assistance programs. Contact names and phone numbers for the province's 20 Rural Economic Development Boards are also included. If a student wants to see an economic zone, they just have to click on its name to see it outlined on a map together with a list of the companies on which the province has profiles for that zone.

"Participating in the GMO program was a great opportunity," said Mandy Fisher, narrator of the CD-ROM. "I learned a lot about how our province is changing and the many opportunities available to young people. I was also able to share that message with many high school students. Now, every student in the province will be able to participate in the GMO through this CD-ROM."

The department plans to update the CD-ROM regularly and it will be distributed to all high schools free of charge.

Contact: Randy Devine, A/Director, Public Affairs and Analysis, ACOA, (709) 772-2935

Clifford Grinling, Department of Development and Rural Renewal, (709) 729-7066

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Backgrounder

The Getting the Message Out Program (GMO), delivered by the Department of Development and Rural Renewal, was developed in 1994 in response to a perception among graduating high school students that there were few job opportunities in the province.

The problem stemmed from limited knowledge of the local economy. Research showed that many students, particularly in rural areas, had little knowledge of companies beyond the traditional resource-based industries. Accordingly, the GMO program was developed as a slide presentation to give students a snapshot of the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador while describing the skills young people need to participate successfully in the economy.

Given the need to communicate well with the students, it was decided to have a peer group deliver the program: college and university students are used. For the past three months, MUN business students Gail Collins and Corey Locke have been delivering the program.

What's included in the presentation?

The presentation begins with a description of the major challenges facing the province: the decline of the traditional fisheries, the need for diversification into new industries, education levels, reliance on transfer payments and out-migration. Having laid out the issues, the rest of the presentation deals with overcoming these challenges.

One slide describes the educational levels of various age groups in the province. It also shows the number of jobs available to people with different educational levels compared to people who have little or no education. It's an outline of what you need to do to survive or succeed in the workplace. The four skills emphasized are team work, personal management, attitude and academic attainment.

Another slide illustrates the growth areas of the province. Significantly, Newfoundland and Labrador leads the way in small business growth. Since 1989, the rate of growth of small businesses in the province has been more than double the rate for Canada as a whole.

Next, the students describe individual provincial growth sectors which are aquaculture, tourism, manufacturing, innovative and information technology, secondary food processing, cultural and environmental industries, exports, natural resources and crafts.

Each sector is described and presenters talk about its products and services, and the number of people employed. Students also learn about community economic development and the province's 20 Regional Economic Development Boards.

The program takes an interactive approach using many questions to get students thinking about growth sectors. Then presenters highlight at least three companies for each sector, ones students would find interesting.

The presentation draws on more than 100 slides of companies. Students are frequently surprised at the rich diversity of businesses within the province.

The whole purpose of the GMO program is to change students' attitudes and to show them there are business and career opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador. The program shows that potential lies within the growth sectors and the backbone of these sectors is small business.

The presentation ends with a discussion of business information sources and the steps necessary to develop a business idea.

The program works!

Since its inception, the GMO program has been immensely popular. People who see it are frequently surprised at the breadth and diversity of the provincial economy and come away with a new appreciation of the province. One teacher remarked that everybody should see it.

The program also appears to be capable of changing attitudes. In 1997, the Department of Development and Rural Renewal brought 16 third-year high school students together from all parts of the province to see the GMO program. Before seeing the presentation, all 16 said they would be leaving the province upon graduation; after the GMO presentation, 15 said they would seriously try to find or create employment within the province after graduation.

1998 05 29                      12:35 p.m.