Faculty member speaks at symposium on mentoring in the ECE profession
At the Visions and Voices on Mentoring in Early Childhood Education and Care symposium—the first event of its kind in Ontario— faculty member Kerry Drake, had the opportunity to speak as a panelist engaging a province-wide audience, including Service System Managers, District Social Service Administrative Boards, Professional Resource Centres, and representatives from the Ministry of Education.
The symposium brought together stakeholders to explore mentorship’s role in the ECE profession, share research-informed practices, and encourage cross-sector collaboration to increase workforce sustainability.
Kerry's panel at the symposium emphasized mentorship as both a pedagogical and leadership strategy. Through discussion and examples, she explored how intentional mentoring training and compensation strengthens educator confidence, supports retention, and contributes to organizational stability.
The session highlighted the essential link between mentoring of ECE students and workforce sustainability, emphasizing that retention starts long before ECE students graduate. Rooted in global research and return on investment data, it illustrated how investments in structured support models cultivate a resilient, skilled early learning workforce, prepared to meet the evolving needs of both Ontario’s post-secondary students and the broader ECE profession.
Kerry will be speaking again on November 22, 2025, at the CNC (Children of Newcomers to Canada) Conference. The organization has centres across Canada with educators who specifically work with newcomer children and their families.