The Knowledge & Talent Attraction Town
Historic Saint Andrews by the Sea
By
John G. Kelly
B.Com., D.PIR., LL.B.,M.S.Sc., M.A. (Jud.Admin.), F.CIS.
john@activeretirement.ca ; www.johngkelly.ca
America (and Canada) is at the dawn of a wave of internal migration that will spawn an explosion of new types of colleges and universities, reaching deep into our country. Just as every town expects a church, bank branch, post office, coffee house or brewpub, we will see a decentralized network of academies acting as the cornerstones for the post pandemic rebuilding of our society and economy.
Villages, towns and cities that want to tap into talent need to develop and implement a talent attraction plan, determining what mix of talent can contribute best to the future evolution of their location while creating a strong narrative and implementing sufficient change on the ground to establish credibility.
Saint Andrews is a knowledge town. The New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) has a campus that’s within the “15 minute walk” radius of all of the homes in the town plat. Moreover, it easily accessible through a ride share program for residents of Passamaquoddy Lodge, the community’s long -term care (LTC) facility. The college has evolved from a traditional trade school when it was established in 1963 into a vibrant post-secondary diploma and certificate granting institution. Yes, there are traditional skilled trades programs, which interestingly are gaining popularity with the “55+” generation looking to acquire skills they can utilize to apply to customized arts and crafts pursuits.
But there are also core programs that fit with a community where tourism and retirement are anchors. There are now a robust culinary arts and culinary arts management program, practical nursing and a family of Information Technology diploma and certificates. These are the types of programs sought after by Gen X and millennials open to exiting hectic suburban life and shift into vibrant new careers. The tech programs are a natural fit with the burgeoning remote work and gig economy. These all have the potential to open the door for innovative earn while you learn opportunities. And again, they’re all easily accessible from your home base which is just up the road or down the street, depending on where you choose to live.
Saint Andrews is home to the nationally ranked Sunbury Shores Arts & Nature Centre. It’s a non-profit cultural centre that facilitates connections between art and nature. It’s a mecca for both tourists who want a vacation that enables them open a long sought desire to pursue a passion in the arts and crafts and retirees wanting to engage in creative artistic community living. Sunbury Shores provides a broad range of customized courses of varying length that enable participants to find a course that fits with their lifestyle preference and budget. The depth and time- lines of learning are customized to introduce amateurs to a craft or art form as well as enrich the skills of accomplished artists wanting to elevate their artistic capability to an enriched level.
The following is a list of current Sunbury Shores programs to whet your artistic appetite;
Life Drawing, Perspective Drawing, Understanding Contemporary Art, Ceramics Hand Building, Life Size Drawing, Sculptural Paper Collage, Silversmithing Techniques, Colour Confidence, Paining Principles and Practices to Elevate Your Work, Artistic Growth Studio, Acrylics Unleashed, Porcupine Quill Work (Indigenous Culture). Now, what if what you is to take in art exhibits. Sunbury Shores hosts a series of artistic exhibits throughout the year. This is just one more example of the vibrant culture that envelops the town. You’re not going to be sitting around the house relying on Netflix for your visual entertainment. You’ll find yourself taking in an ongoing series of arts exhibits. You’re also going to discover that your neighbours include artists and craftspeople who have decided to make Saint Andrews their home base and neighbours and who, just like you, who aren’t content to chat about the weather but want to engage in invigorating conversation.
Then there’s Kingsbrae Garden. The 27-acre horticultural masterpiece officially opened its gates in the spring of 1998, unveiling an array of over 2,500 species of perennials, as well as, a wide variety of trees and shrubs. Now a major tourist attraction, Kingsbrae Garden has been recognized with a number of major awards for both the product and the services it provides.
Most recently in addition to being ranked the #1 Thing to Do in the Region by Trip Advisor, Kingsbrae Garden was recognized in 2017 for being a top Canadian Garden nationally to visit to celebrate Canada 150 . Kingsbrae is much more than a Garden and with its ever- growing arts and culture base, career and training opportunities have been created in the horticulture, culinary and the arts fields.
David J. Stanly and Dominic D.J. Endicott, Knowledge Towns. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore (2023) at P.1.
Supra at P.33.