Bridging the Aboriginal Education Gap in Alberta
By Eric Howe
Bridging the Aboriginal Education Gap in Alberta highlights the positive correlation between education and lifetime earnings. While this correlation has been demonstrated in previous studies, this is the first time that forensic economic principles are used to measure the gap in the province of Alberta.
The research documents the ‘return on investment’ of the Métis Training to Employment (MTE) program and makes a compelling case for the renewal of the Aboriginal Skills Employment & Training Strategy (ASETS), which is schedule to sunset in March 2015. Based on 1,496 MTE clients, Eric Howe is able to project a lifetime earnings increase exceeding $564 million. The social benefit of clients in the MTE program dating back to 2006 is into the billions.
The Bridging the Aboriginal Education Gap in Alberta study should serve as a call to action for the federal and provincial government to invest in Métis education and labour market training. As Eric Howe remind us: “A Mind is a Very Expensive Thing to Waste.”