Montréal, February 14, 2014 – Complementing Hooked on School Days, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal — which is hosting Marie Malavoy, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, as a speaker today — is pleased to launch Operation Back to School 2014, running from March 1 to April 30. For the 18th edition, close to 300 speakers from the business community will explain their education and career paths to high school students in Greater Montréal.
“Operation Back to School is one of the practical efforts that the Board of Trade has been making for the past 18 years to contribute to school retention and the success of the next generation,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “Speakers give students a more concrete look at the working world. These real-world accounts are highly motivating and enable students to better understand the career choices available to them if they stay in school.”
“The objective of this program is twofold: to support young people in their efforts to succeed in school and to ensure that our city has the talent it will need to tackle the challenges of tomorrow,” Michel Leblanc said. “Focusing our efforts on prevention is the most effective way to ensure kids stay in school. This is why Operation Back to School’s success year in and year out is so encouraging. It proves that teachers are mobilized, that young people are motivated and that the community cares about the future of youth.”
“As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child,” Mr. Leblanc said. “I encourage business people to sign up for Operation Back to School in large numbers this year and help shape the Quebec of tomorrow.”
The goal of Operation Back to School is to raise awareness among young people about the importance of staying in school and getting a degree for joining the job market. With the help of program partners, over $15,000 in scholarships will be awarded to students who attend a speaker’s presentation and who are nominated by their teacher.
Information about Operation Back to School and how to take part is available at www.btmm.qc.ca/back_to_school.
Operation Back to School is made possible by the support of Montréal Relève and the participation of its GOLD ambassadors, which offer stay-in-school scholarships to certain participating students: ArcelorMittal and Leger, The Research Intelligence Group, as well as its SILVER ambassadors: Comptables professionnels agréés de Montréal, EY, L’Oréal Canada and Ubisoft. The Board of Trade would also like to thank its association partners: Academos E-Mentoring, Youth Fusion, Montreal Hooked on School and Universitas.
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
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Source:
Michelle LLambias Meunier
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4042
mllambias@ccmm.qc.ca
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For registration or information:
ore@ccmm.qc.ca
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4099