Carole MacFarlane is recently retired as Career Programs Co-ordinator for the Vancouver School Board of Education in British Columbia. This involved overseeing all career programs development in 18 secondary schools and includes Career Preparation, Secondary School Apprenticeship and the provincial Industry Training Authority Accelerated Credentialed Education in Industry Training (ACE IT) Programs. She maintained contact with provincial and federal agencies and ministries for all Career Programs in order to receive, interpret, communicate and influence district direction. It was also necessary to support, initiate and maintain community partnerships for the purpose of strengthening work experience, career exploration, school and district career conferences, and other career development events. She initiated and supported work experience training programs delivered at public and post-secondary institutions in addition to articulating with these institutions for development of secondary level courses and programs. Part of the job also entailed assisting school and district staffs with organization of professional development related to all areas of career education.
Carole is currently doing contract work with the BC Career Education Society co-ordinating and delivering workshops to career educators, parents, administrators and teachers of Grades 4-10 in British Columbia. The purpose of these workshops related to the BC Skills and Training Plan is to promote learning resources available on the Discover Trades BC portal – the one-stop shopping introduction to trades and related resources for students and parents in British Columbia.
Carole has been an active member of the British Columbia Career Education Society since 1995, was conference chair for 2004-2006, has served on the executive for several years (currently treasurer of the organization) and in November received an honorary lifetime membership with CES.
Carole is a board member of Junior Achievement British Columbia and is a member of the JA Education Committee.
She was invited to join the Board of Directors of The Counselling Foundation of Canada in 2011.