Our guest on this week’s Insights podcast is Lana Asaff, Senior Economist with the Atlantic Economic Council. Lana stopped by to talk about a new report published by the Council entitled “Fixing the Leaks in Atlantic Canada’s Education-to-Employment Pipeline”. This conversation was a little unusual for the pod as it got quite animated. There wasn’t a lot of good news in this report. Lana reported on the many challenges in the K-12 system, from lowering test scores and rising absenteeism to the unpreparedness of many high school students to enter post-secondary education. Some 40% of university students drop out before finishing their degree. Both Don and David feel very strongly about the need to address the growing challenges in the region’s K-12 education system. Lana also discussed the youth NEET population (not in employment, education or training). More than 58,000 or 12% of Atlantic Canadians aged 15–29 were NEET during the 2024/2025 school year. Forgone income among NEET aged 20–29 exceeded $470 million regionally in 2024/2025.

This report is a sobering reminder of the challenges and should be a wake-up call for all Atlantic Canadians who care about the region’s future.

Read the full report here:

https://atlanticeconomiccouncil.ca/page/AGPEducationEmploymentPipelineJune2026

On this week’s Insights podcast, Don and David speak with Mary Butler, President and CEO of the New Brunswick Community College. The NBCC has six campuses, 1,200 employees, 5,500 full-time students and 13,000 total learners each year. Enrolment has been rising, and the college boasts a 90 percent graduation rate. Butler and her team are rethinking the role of college education in New Brunswick, tackling issues such as international skills recognition, strengthening college entry pathways for high school students and embracing artificial intelligence (AI). As the NEET rate among young New Brunswickers (those Not in Employment, Education and Training) is rising, she sees a golden opportunity for the NBCC.

On this week’s Insights podcast, Don and David speak with Bruce Fawcett, the outgoing President and Vice-Chancellor of Moncton-based Crandall University. After 14 years at the helm, Fawcett is retiring in August. During his tenure, Crandall University has increased enrolment from 750 to nearly 2,000 students, eliminated its debt and is building up the university’s endowment funds. The university has expanded programs and now attracts hundreds of international students every year.

Fawcett reflects on his tenure at Crandall University, the importance of entrepreneurial thinking and the role that Crandall plays in turning out graduates that meet workforce demand across the province. He estimates 85 percent of international graduates stay in the province.