The document summarizes perspectives from third year business education students on the state of business education in Saskatchewan. It identifies several areas of business education curricula that are missing, including personal finance, economics, business ethics, marketing, management, and technology/information processing. It also notes a lack of focus on business education and a business educator voice in developing ministry curriculum. Key issues discussed include the importance of personal finance education given many students' financial difficulties, the relevance of economics, and the need to address ethics and communicate effectively in business.

1. From Third Year Students’ Perspectives Presented by: Josh LeBlanc and Tessa Jordan Prepared by: Josh LeBlanc, Tessa Jordan, Michelle Munro, Megan Charlton and Nicole Markewich

2. Business Education under Practical and Applied Arts (PAA) Missing Business Education curricula Technology in Business Education Uniting professional organizations in Business Education

3. Originally under Science and Technology Moved to PAA in 1994 Moved because anything deemed vocational was grouped in PAA Ministry of Education Evergreen Curriculum

4. Lack of Business Educator voice Focus on ‘for business’ Transition to work All elective courses

5. What Saskatchewan has... What Saskatchewan is lacking... Communication Production Technology Information Processing Accounting Entrepreneurship Career and Work Exploration Tourism and Hospitality Law Marketing Personal Finance Economics Business Ethics Business Communications Management Consumer Studies Basic Business National Business Education Association Standards

6. Points to ponder: Personal Finance “ nearly one third (29 per cent) say that they learn these skills from their own experiences” (Metro File, 2006). “ The Postsecondary Participation Survey found that one third of students who left before graduating in 2002 did so for financial reasons” (Lefebvre, 2004). “ by 2001, taxes and deductions took 25 cents and personal consumption 71 cents , leaving just 3 cents in savings” (Chawla, 2005) for every dollar earned. “ average amount owed to student loan programs by university graduates increased 76% between 1990 and 2000” (Lefebvre, 2004).

7. Economics Underlie ever part of society Important for all students regardless of life path How do you balance unlimited wants and needs with limited resources

8. Business Ethics “ 65% of workers indicated they had misused technology and 84% indicated knowledge of a colleague misusing technology” (Society of Financial Service Professionals, 2001). “ younger workers do not necessarily follow generally accepted workplace rules nor view the rules as applying to them” (Tulgan, 1996). “ young workers are less likely to view actions such as playing computer games or searching for another job while at work as being unethical” (American Society of Chartered Life, 1998). Scandals – Conrad Black, Enron, Martha Stewart, SaskPower, etc.

9. Marketing and Consumer Studies “ 67 percent of families buying a new car base their purchasing decision on advice given by their children -- who are too young to drive” ( http://gerstmanandmeyers.com/brand_speak.asp?bs_id=67) “ More and more, consumers are relying on advice from friends, family and even strangers to make purchase decisions, select physicians, choose travel destinations and pick politicians to vote for. Already, 64 million US adults regularly share advice on products or services, and over 25 million of them wield their influence online” (emarketer.com)

10. Business Communications “ Over 50 top-ranked business programs list oral and written communication as key elements” (Bayless, 38) for success. “ 72 percent of incoming high school graduates are viewed as deficient in basic English writing skills…And,…with regard to applied skills related to the workplace, the greatest deficiency was reported in written communications (Most Young People, 2006).

11. Management Regardless of what job you are in – profit, non-profit, entrepreneur – there are management Students will encounter management and leadership styles throughout their lives and they will need to know how to work with these people and when/how they can step up Applicable in communities, schools and work world

12. Technology becomes the content Information Processing

13. Look to the U.S. for guidance despite differences in funding Lack of Canadian national organization Lack of national/provincial vision

14. To address the missing curricula look at areas where it can be integrated into what we already have Instead of developing all of the missing curricula develop one, General Business 9, that establishes a foundation To start somewhere...make one course mandatory – General Business 9 More professional dialogue – we need a stronger voice!!!