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 Networking Search for Advocates UNEVOC-Canada is looking for private and public sector organisations that are interested in becoming the network's Advocates. UNEVOC-Canada advocates assist the network achieve its mission to improve technical and vocational education through their financial contributions. Our Mission To provide leadership for improving technical and vocational education through research and development, scholarship, information exchange, networking and international co-operation. Background As we move into a super-symbolic, internationalized and information-based economy, a well-educated workforce is becoming the key factor for maintaining national competitiveness. Workplace requirements are increasingly calling for employees with higher order skills. The worker of the new millenium is likely to be a mind or knowledge worker who employs logical-abstract thinking to diagnose problems, research and apply knowledge, propose solutions and proceed to design and implement those solutions. These changes require constant adjustments to technical and vocational education to ensure world class standards, accessibility, mobility and accountability. To achieve these changes new knowledge on best practices must be made widely accessible to all stakeholders through information exchange, networking and international cooperation. UNESCO has recognized this reality in a number of different ways. One of these has been to expand and develop its role in the area of technical and vocational education. In 1992 UNESCO established an International Project on Technical and Vocational Education (UNEVOC) dedicated to developing and improving technical and vocational education in UNESCO's Member States. Its main focus is on information exchange, networking and international cooperation. Each UNESCO Member State was invited to nominate an institution to become a UNEVOC Centre to act as a focal point for the UNEVOC international network. The responsibilities of the UNEVOC Centres include: developing and leading a national network; ensuring information flow to and from UNESCO and other UNEVOC Centres; ensuring that expertise is shared among UNEVOC Network members; providing research as requested by the UNESCO Secretariat; and contributing to UNESCO publications and data bases. Currently, there are 111 UNEVOC Centres and 49 UNEVOC Associate Centres in the UNEVOC network. Canada joined the UNEVOC network in April 1998. This Canadian initiative was led by a consortium formed under the leadership of Chris Chinien from the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba with the collaboration of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. The Canadian UNEVOC consortium includes a mix of representatives from the private, public and non-profit sectors, school boards, secondary schools, community colleges and universities. The Canada UNEVOC Centre will play an advocacy role for technical and vocational education and provide opportunities for Canadians to participate in the development and improvement of technical and vocational education nationally and internationally. The centre will also enable Canada to assume its leadership in the field. The Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba is the home for UNEVOC - Canada. If you are interested to join the group of our proud sponsors as a UNEVOC-Canada Advocate, please contact: Chris Chinien, Ph.D.
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