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Education
September 25, 2009

Minister Welcomes New Board Chair and Members

The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education, announced today that Paula Flood, Avalon regional facilitator with the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs, has been appointed chair of the Provincial Apprenticeship and Certification Board (PACB). Minister King also announced the appointments of Linda Scanlon, a stylist, and Gordon Dunphy, an instructor with College of the North Atlantic, as new members to the board.

�I thank out-going chair Rex Cotter for his contributions over the past three years, and I congratulate Ms. Flood on her appointment,� said Minister King. �I also welcome the two new members. They join several previous members being reappointed who have a wealth of professional and board experience. Given recent government investments into skilled trades programming, it is critical that we have a board with the knowledge and experience to best represent the interests of the apprenticeship program.�

The PACB provides advice to the Provincial Government on the training and certification of apprenticeable trades, and assists with the approval of curriculum and accrediting programs. Members� terms are three years in duration and they are eligible to sit for two consecutive terms. The appointments are effective immediately.

The Provincial Government has invested over $50 million since 2006 specifically targeted at building the skilled labour market. Much of this funding has allowed the implementation of recommendations from the Skills Task Force report � a collaboration of government, education, industry, labour and other stakeholders.

Advances in recent years include the creation of a new skilled trades program for high school students, an increase in the number of seats in skilled trades programming at College of the North Atlantic and new top-of-the-line equipment through a shop modernization program at several college campuses. In addition, apprentices can now receive credit for on-the-job training they do in Alberta, and the journeyperson/apprenticeship ratio has been increased. Minister King noted that there was a 34 per cent increase in the number of apprentices attending advanced level training between 2007 and 2009.

�I am very pleased that we now have six females sitting on our apprenticeship board,� said Minister King. �This will further our government�s goal to encourage more women to consider a career in skilled trades. Since 2004, we have seen a 35 per cent increase in the number of women registering for entry-level programs in non-traditional trades, and we need to continue to tap into this resource if we hope to have the labour force in place to respond to current and future labour market needs.�

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Media contact:
Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER
Biographies of New Appointees

Paula Flood has enjoyed many years of service to Newfoundland and Labrador in both the private and public sectors, having worked eight years as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) with the Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre and as owner and manager for 20 years of Horse Holidays Newfoundland Limited, operator of the Carriage House Inn and Flood�s Stable. Ms. Flood holds certificates in clerk accounting, LPN, as well as business counselor from the Acadia Centre for Social and Business Entrepreneurship. Ms. Flood has served on numerous boards including Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, Central Newfoundland Community Futures and the Exploits Valley Business Retention and Expansion Task Force. For the past ten years, Ms. Flood has worked with the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE) and currently holds the position of Business Advisor (Growth) with NLOWE.

Gordon Dunphy is a certified journeyman electrician with more than 30 years experience. Over the course of his career, Mr. Dunphy has worked as an electrician with companies both in Newfoundland and Labrador and Manitoba, and served as mill superintendent at St. Lawrence Fluorspar Limited. He has also taught at various College of the North Atlantic (CNA) campuses and Academy Canada. He is currently an electrical instructor at CNA in St. John�s and is the college�s electrical representative on the Provincial Electrical Construction Advisory Board.

Linda Scanlon is a graduate of Le Moines School of Hair Design and is a barber/stylist with Central Barber Shop in St. John�s. Ms. Scanlon is an active volunteer in the community, having served with Scouts Canada and the Shea Heights Basketball Association, and is currently a member of the Shea Heights Community Centre.

Provincial Apprenticeship and Certification Board Membership

Paula Flood � Chair
Rhonda Neary � Employer
David Murphy � Employer
Mike Lee � Employer
Ann Geehan � Employee
Gus Doyle � Employee
Gerard Shea � Employee
Ellen Picco � At-Large
Gordon Dunphy � At-large
Linda Scanlon � At-Large
Robin Bartlett � Employer (alternate)
Richard Kelly � Employee (alternate)
James Loder � At-Large (alternate)

2009 09 25                       10:25 a.m.


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