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
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