A highly skilled workforce is essential to help businesses grow and compete in an increasingly knowledge-based economy and to secure Canada’s economic future. All provinces and territories across Canada are committed to delivering effective education, training, and employment programs and supports that provide the skills individuals need to participate fully in society and the labour market. Our economies are stronger when we maximize the talents and abilities of all Canadians.
Provinces and territories have taken big strides in supporting individuals in achieving their employment goals. Promising practices of programs and initiatives that help align the education and training systems with the needs of the labour market have emerged in every province and territory. There is tremendous potential to increase the impact of these practices by sharing them and strengthening the evidence-base of what works best to drive successful employment outcomes.
This toolkit was envisioned by the education and provincial-territorial labour market Ministers at the Skills for the Future Symposium in July 2014, held in a response to a request from premiers through the Council of the Federation (COF). The toolkit is an opportunity for sharing promising practices amongst provinces and territories and with the many stakeholders leading and supporting our education, training and employment programs.
Best practices from education, postsecondary and labour market perspectives within provinces and territories are profi led in this toolkit. The practices are organized into four themes, based on the objectives they seek to accomplish. The themes represent the key areas where provinces and territories have focused some of their efforts to help ensure alignment of education and training systems with labour market needs.
These four themes refl ect the biggest challenges and opportunities for provinces and territories:
• Upgrading the Skills of Canadians: supporting individuals at all skill levels in upgrading their skills to remain competitive in their current fi eld of employment or obtain more rewarding employment in a new fi eld.
• Aligning Secondary School Programming to Labour Market Demands: supporting high school students and their parents and teachers to assess their interest and skills, explore potential career options and pursue training or education that will ensure students can realize their full potential within the Canadian labour market.
• Aligning Postsecondary Education Programming to Labour Market Demand: supporting postsecondary students in obtaining the specifi c knowledge, skills and work-related experience required by employers so they can quickly transition into their desired fi eld of employment after graduation.
• Supporting the Labour Market Attachment of Target Populations: supporting vulnerable populations that experience challenges in obtaining or maintaining employment, by providing targeted programming that meets individuals’ needs and the needs of the labour market.
The many innovative programs and initiatives from provinces and territories highlight the commonalities in the type of challenges experienced across Canada, and the opportunities available to overcome these challenges through collaboration between education, training and employment systems. At the same time, the promising practices demonstrate that each province and territory has unique characteristics that need to be acknowledged and addressed through customized programming.
By learning from each other, we can continue to fi nd the right education and training approaches that serve the diverse needs of our jurisdictions, ensuring every Canadian has the knowledge, skills and experience needed for labour market success.
