Career development was a key focus for high school students around the region yesterday, as speaker Lee Taal toured the area to share his experiences and inspire engagement.

Taal stopped at schools in Carberry, Neepawa and MacGregor, spreading a message based mainly around the idea of becoming as adaptable as possible. The CEO of career development service chatterhigh.com is originally from Victoria, B.C., and says his experiences have inspired his belief about adaptability being a key skill.

Taal planned on being a paleontologist all throughout high school, but his path was much different than planned. He wound up going to military college and was in the Canadian Navy for 25 years, then offered a position at General Electric that he wasn't exactly qualified for. That experience was key to him, as he says they simply believed in his ability to adapt.

"They hired me on the premise I would figure things out. They saw me as adaptable, and it's such a critical piece. So I always come back to that: 'this is how you become adaptable,' Taal says. "Train your brain for that, to retain everything you learn. That's how you become adaptable."

Lee Taal

Career education is a mandatory part of high school curriculum in every province in Canada, Taal says. "It's a challenging spot for kids because they may not necessarily care about looking at post-secondary programs in Grade 10," he explains. "But there's a lot of benefit for them to explore and broaden their horizons."

Taal is using a method he calls "gameifying" career development research to increase student interest. He says students can answer questions and complete tasks on ChatterHigh that force them to explore different post-secondary options, while being rewarded through a points-system and even winning prizes for their work. Canada's Most Informed School, going on right now until Nov. 25 through Chatter High, is a national competition and one example of a way Taal uses to spark interest in the topic of career education among students.

"We have leaderboards, and schools from coast-to-coast competing," Taal explains. "Some of the schools from Manitoba are doing well. And the schools actually raise money through this exploration."

Judy Watson, Regional Career Development coordinator for Beautiful Plains, Turtle River and Pine Creek School Divisions, says they are trying to support schools and teachers in understanding that career development can be, and should probably be on a K-12 basis. Taal's message helps support that.

"Lee is someone who really fits the bill in allowing us to get the kids to see that anything's possible," Watson says. "And to also help kids, as he says: 'become adaptable,' as well as focusing on academics and skills so you're better prepared to reach out to any career of interest."

Taal wraps up his tour of schools in the region today, when he makes stops in Gladstone and Elie.