Perfectio - Pathways (Special Edition, Spring 2022)

SPECIAL EDITION

votre référence en formation des adultes

PATHWAYS

SPRING 2022

ta b l e o f c o n t e n t s INTRODUCTION SKILLS FOR SUCCESS

4 5

LABOUR MARKET CHANGES

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WORKFORCE TRAINING

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4

A Word from the Editor in Chief

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The Core Competencies That Canadians Need to Adapt and Succeed

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Skills for Success, Essential Skills and OALCF- A Comparison

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Tamara's Comments

14

Labour Market Changes and the Future of Skills

16 Flexible Work Arrangements: Are we Allowed to Dream?

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The Digital Divide, the Labour Market, and Adult Learning

24 Some Facts About Apprenticeship in Ontario and Across Canada 24 The Province Launches a new Organization: Skilled Trades Ontario 26 Choosing Apprenticeship, a Pathway Many LBS Providers can Help With 28 LBS and Apprenticeship Training, a Marriage that Could be a Happy one 30 La Cité collégiale: 140 Programs and 60 Fields of Study to Form the Next Generation of Skilled Workers 31 The Apprenticeship Connection, a Newsletter Dedicated to Apprenticeship in Ontario 32 In Ontario, a Community College Model of Learning in the Regions 34 A well-Oiled Machine in Workforce and Workplace Training at VALA 36 The Literacy Group: Facilitate Contacts Between LBS Programs and Businesses 38 Tamara's Comments 40 Investing in Workforce Development: A Few Examples 42 Tamara's Comments

IMMIGRATION

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44 Migrating During the Pandemic: Good Preparation Means Good Integration 46 Resources

editor in chief:

coordinator:

Graphic designer:

Gabrielle Lopez

Laurence Buenerd

marie-eve séguin

translation:

Printing:

H.D. + Lauraine Teodoro + Marion Le Boa + Bianca Cesario

Bradda Printing Services inc.

In this publication, the masculine is used solely for stylistic purposes and includes all genders.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Coalition ontarienne de formation des adultes (COFA).

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introduction

A WORD FROM THE

EDITOR IN CHIEF pathways

[PATH-WAYZ]

a series of actions that can be taken in order to achieve something SOURCE: CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY 1

Gabrielle Lopez In this spring issue, we wanted to look back at one of the events of the fall: the launch of the new Skills for Success Framework.

We asked Robyn Cook-Ritchie, Executive Director of Laubach Literacy Ontario in Waterloo, to compare it to the old Framework and to highlight its connections to the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALF).

We've also tried to keep our eyes open to what's happening in the world of work, a world that is emerging in baby steps from two years of health restrictions. Our perception of work has undergone some disruption: have you seen the surveys of the past few months? Few people are considering going back to the office full time... The consensus word: flexibility.

Also new is Skilled Trades Ontario, the new agency that now regulates apprenticeship in Ontario, with a brand new onestop online shop. Apprenticeship is not a new practice. Did you know that it dates back to the early 7th century? The construction of large buildings, such as cathedrals, already required skilled labour that architects would seek out far beyond their building sites. In Canada, apprenticeship training was provided by skilled craftsmen arriving from Europe, but as the country industrialized, a Canadian apprenticeship program became necessary. Ontario passed the first Apprenticeship Act in 1928.

In this issue, several articles are devoted to it.

The impact of the two-year pandemic has also been felt by those who were planning to migrate to Canada. The Société Économique de l’Ontario (SÉO) has extended its services to those waiting in their country for the precious papers from the Department of Immigration: it helps them better prepare their arrival in the Ontario labour market.

We asked several of our English-speaking colleagues about this issue, and we also tried, with their help, to clarify the diffe­ rences between workforce training and workplace training.

The latter seems to be on the rise, although Tamara Kaattari, Executive Director of Literacy Link South Central in London, reminds us that when labour is scarce, employers are more likely to invest in their workers. Still, we took a look at what large companies were offering their employees in terms of development. There's no reason why we can't be inspired by them...

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https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pathway

In spite of all these slowdowns, we keep on course. After all, the journey doesn't have to be a fast one. Why not take the time to breathe in the sweet spring air, to be inspired by what others around us are doing and to walk in good company? As the saying goes, "If you want to go fast, walk alone, but if you want to go far, walk together."

Happy reading! ■

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SKILLS FOR SUCCESS Historical background, new concepts and linkage to the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF)

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Skills for Success

The Core Competencies

That Canadians Need to Adapt and Succeed Updates made by the Office of Skills for Success1 in May 2021 consisted of replacing the Essential Skills Framework, which was developed in 2007, with the Skills for Success model. The revised skills are intended to better reflect requirements in terms of adapting and navigating through the ever-changing labour market and technologies, and to facilitate a common and shared understanding of the concept of skills. When compared to the former Essential Skills Framework, two new skills were added to the revised existing skills which, in total, result in the nine skills identified below:2

The Office of Skills for Success (OSS) is under Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and replaces the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES).

The nine skills are described on the Government of Canada’s “Learn about the Skills” page: https:/www.canada.ca/en/services/jobs/training/initiatives/skills-success/understanding-individuals.html.

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2

Skills for Success

1.

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION This skill is defined as the ability to imagine, develop, express, encourage and execute ideas in innovative and unexpected ways, or the ability to challenge existing methods and norms (which could also be described as the ability to “think outside the box”).

This skill is important because it enables us to come up with new ideas and do things differently. It is a quality employers look for because it can help us find solutions and meet challenges in increasingly diverse work environments.

2.

3.

This skill is defined as the ability to analyze a situation, consider solutions and make decisions.

This skill is defined as the ability to find, understand and use information in the form of words, symbols or pictures. It allows us to identify information in emails, reports, articles, instruction manuals, etc.

PROBLEM SOLVING

This skill is important because it allows us to think about different ways of completing a task, identify important information, choose one of several solutions, decide which task has priority, or solve technical problems. All of these actions help to achieve goals and deadlines effectively, both at work and in our daily lives.

4.

DIGITAL This skill is defined as the ability to use technology and digital tools so as to find, apply, create, organize or share information and content. Some examples include creating spreadsheets, using social networks, participating in video conferences, etc.

This skill is important because most jobs now require digital skills, in some cases just to be able to use other skills like reading, writing and numeracy. Examples include writing text with a computer to send to others, using a point-of-sale terminal, protecting personal data online, entering data into systems, etc.

6.

ADAPTABILITY This skill is defined as the ability to achieve or adjust goals and behaviours when changes occur, either at work or in our daily lives. It can help us modify work plans to meet new deadlines, for example, or learn to work with new tools or new people.

This skill is important because in everyday life and work environments, things change or evolve, often at a rapid pace. Adaptability helps us deal effectively with change, learn new skills and behaviours when needed, and not give up when things get tough. It also helps us stay positive and manage the stress of changes at work and in our daily lives.

READING

This skill is important because it allows us to understand and interpret the meaning of texts, and extract information that is useful for a variety of activities, such as completing tasks, working safely, and carrying out many activities in our daily lives.

5.

COLL ABORATION This skill is defined as the ability to contribute and to support others in achieving a common goal.

This skill is important because work­ places and environments are increa­ singly diverse and changing, and many tasks require working with different people depending on the activities to be performed. It is important to be able to work in harmony with people who have different occupations, experiences or cultural backgrounds. This is a quality that is sought after by employers because it facilitates teamwork by helping to understand how to contribute, how to support and value others, and how to handle difficult interactions. Overall, it is a skill that helps build and maintain positive relationships with others.

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Skills for Success

7.

8.

This skill is defined as the ability to communicate ideas and information using written words, symbols and images. Examples include filling out forms and applications, writing emails and reports, and posting content on social media. It also includes the ability to adjust the message, content and style to different contexts, people and media.

This skill is defined as the ability to identify, understand and communicate mathematics in the form of words, numbers, symbols and graphs. This skill is not only used to perform calculations, but also to manage budgets, analyze data and make estimates.

WRITING

This skill is important because it is essential for communicating and sharing information when it is not possible to do so verbally or when we want to keep a record of it. It also allows us to adapt written messages to specific contexts, people and objectives.

NUMERACY

This skill is important because it goes beyond basic nume­ racy and is useful in all areas of life, from managing personal finances to understanding what statistics on the news mean. Many jobs require the ability to work with numbers and math.

9.

COMMUNICATION This skill is defined as the ability to receive, understand, interpret and share information and ideas by speaking, listening and interacting with others. For example, listening to instructions and clarifying them as needed, serving clients, or discussing ideas.

This skill is important for sharing and exchanging information, as well as listening to and understanding others. All jobs require communication skills, to develop good working relationships with colleagues and clients, including those with diverse cultural backgrounds, and to exchange important information related to the activities or safety at work. They are equally necessary in our daily lives to gather and share information, as well as listen to and discuss various points of view.3

WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BOTH VERSIONS?4 › Document use is now integrated in reading, writing and numeracy; › The scope of computer use is now broader to cover digital, which includes the use of different digital devices and platforms; › Oral communication is now communication and includes broader concepts, such as non-verbal communication; › Working with others is now collaboration to reflect a broader scope, which contains inclusivity and respect for diversity; › Thinking skills is now problem solving. It includes components such as search of information, critical thinking and decision-making, in addition to problem-solving which was originally more limited; › Adaptability as well as creativity and innovation—which integrate continuous learning—are two new skills. ■

This information can be found on ESDC’s “Learn about the Skills” webpage: https:/www.canada.ca/en/services/jobs/training/initiatives/skills-success/understanding-individuals.html.

This information is detailed in the Research Report to Support the Launch of Skills for Success, produced by the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation and published in May 2021. It can be found here: https://www.srdc.org/publications/Research-report-to-support-the-launch-of-Skills-for-Success-Structure-evidence-and-recommendations-Final-report-details.aspx 3

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Skills for Success

SKILLS FOR SUCCESS, ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND OALCF- A COMPARISON

By Robyn Cook-Ritchie

//

Executive Director, Laubach Literacy Ontario

The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills recently updated the Essential Skills (ES) framework. The framework is now called Skills for Success and the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills is now known as the Office of Skills for Success. This article will provide a brief overview of the original Essential Skills framework, and the connection of the Essential Skills framework to the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework. The new Skills for Success framework will also be highlighted.

THE ORIGINAL ESSENTIAL SKILLS FRAMEWORK In 1993-1994, the Government of Canada launched the Essential Skills Research Project (ESRP). The goal of this project was to identify the skills needed for work, learning and life.

It was meant to provide a baseline for an individual to know if they had the skills they needed for a particular job. A framework that would help identify skill gaps, would encourage training and in turn improved labour market outcomes. Each of the Essential Skills that were identified during the project had a description of proficiency on a four or five point scale.

Complexity levels could then be assigned to example tasks performed by a worker on the job. This set the stage for the development of the Essential Skills Profiles. Between 1995 and 1997, data collection and pilots for the Essential Skills Profiles took place between 1995 and 1997 with the writing of the profiles starting in 1998.

The original Essential Skills framework was comprised of nine skills. The nine skills were identified as the foundation skills required to successfully participate in the Canadian Labour Market. They were “enabling” skills to help people perform tasks required in occupations and everyday life. They pro­vided a foundation to learn other skills and adapt to change. The Essential Skills were often likened to the “Velcro” to which all other learning sticks.

and other visual characteristics are given meaning by how they are arranged. It included print and non-print media.

Examples inclu­ded lists, tables, drawing, and signs.

Writing Writing encompassed communication through words, numbers and symbols on paper or computers. Writing texts, writing within documents, and typing on a computer were included.

Numeracy Numeracy involved using numbers across the four settings of money math, scheduling or budgeting and accounting, mea­ surement and calculation, and data analysis. Tasks included handling cash, managing time, measuring in the physical word, and determining trends or statistically significant events.

Working With Others Working With Others involved interaction between people to complete tasks. This could be direct interaction like a phone call or indirect interaction like a phone message.

Oral Communication Oral Communication involved using speech to exchange ideas and information. The levels of complexity used in the oral communication scale were compatible with the levels in Canadian Language Benchmarks, English as a Second Language for Adults, 1996.

Thinking Skills Thinking skills covered finding and evaluating information to make decisions and to organize work tasks. It covered problem solving, decision making, critical thinking, job task planning and organization, and use of memory.

The skills in the Essential Skills framework were as follows:

Computer Use

Reading Text

Originally called computer use, and later relabelled digital technology, this Essential Skill involved using computer and other forms of technology such as software.

Reading text involved reading materials written in sentences or paragraphs. It involved reading a variety of materials including notes, letter, books, reports, and journals.

Document Use Document Use included tasks that involved different types of information displays where words, numbers, icons,

Continuous Learning Continuous Learning focused on the ongoing process of improving skills and knowledge. Learning was categorized by type (e.g., in-job, updating credentials) and how learning occurred (e.g., as part of regular work activity, self-study).

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Skills for Success

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND 6 OALCF COMPETENCIES/9 ESSENTIAL SKILLS – THE ONTARIO ADULT LITERACY CURRICULUM A COMPARISON FRAMEWORK (OALCF) See Table 1 on page 11.

The Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF) was part of the 2007 Ontario Plan which stated that under a Smarter Ontario, Ontario would work together with the college sector and non-profit groups to design and deliver an adult literacy curriculum. The first phase took place in 20082009 with the final development taking place in 2010-2011.

The Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) field was involved in the development work of the initiative through a series of funded projects to the support and service organizations.

The Curriculum Framework was designed to help practitioners make clear connections between literacy development and the real-life tasks learners perform in work, learning and community contexts. The OALCF competencies were established by synthesizing responses from the literacy service providers in Ontario to the question, “What should learners learn in literacy programs?”

Development team members representing the interests of learners in Francophone, Deaf, Indigenous, and Anglophone programs, in addition to representatives from community-­ based, school board and college service providers each independently identified potential competencies. Through discussion, the team reached consensus on the set of competencies that would comprise the Framework.

THE NEW SKILLS FOR SUCCESS FRAMEWORK Skills for Success mean to “provide Canadians with everyday skills needed for work, learning and life”. The premise behind the skills identified in this new framework is that improvement of these skills will help Canadian’s success in the workplaces of today and tomorrow1.

Although the new framework still identifies nine skills, there are significant differences. Skills for Success includes more focus on soft skills and socio-emotional skills as well as technology use. The article on page 6, "The Core Competencies That Canadians Need to Adapt and Succeed", lists these differences.

SKILLS FOR SUCCESS AND THE OALCF The focus of the OALCF is how adult learners use the skills they have acquired outside of the program setting. The compe­ tencies in the OALCF are broad and connections can be made with the new Skills for Success.

See Table 2 on page 11. ■

The OALCF uses three levels to describe a learner’s proficiency.

These levels are informed by the same factors that drive complexity at Essential Skills levels 1, 2, and 3. The OALCF developers relied heavily on the ES research and scales in the development of the OALCF. Other frameworks were also consulted during the research process including: › The Manitoba Stages of Literacy › The Australia Core Skills Framework › The Canadian Language Benchmarks › England’s Adult Literacy and Numeracy Core Curricula › US – Equipped for the Future While the OALCF scale is consistent with the interpretation of the ES complexity scales for several ES, it departs from the ES framework because it has a different purpose: to support adult learning. It does not draw exclusively on the ES for the conceptualization of levels. The OALCF only draws on the first three levels of the ES framework because the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) indicated that adults with Level 3 skills can meet most of the ES demands of daily life and transfer skills from one context to another. Reading text and Document Use scales are compatible with IALS. One additional difference between the OALCF and the ES framework is the fact that the OALCF is organized by competencies instead of skills.

The information is taken from the Research Report in Support of the Launch of Skills for Success written by The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) and published in May 2021: Final report – pages 1-2 (https://www.srdc.org/publications/Research-report-to-support-the-launch-of-Skills-for-Success-Structure-evidence-and-recommendations-Final-report-details.aspx).

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Skills for Success

OALCF COMPETENCY

ESSENTIAL SKILL DOMAIN

Find and Use Information

Reading Document Use Thinking Skills

Communicate Ideas and Information

Writing Oral Communication Document Use Thinking Skills

Understand and Use Numbers

Numeracy Thinking Skills

Use Digital Technology

Computer Use/Digital Skills Thinking Skills

Manage Learning

Continuous Learning Thinking Skills

Engage with Others

Working with Others Oral Communication Thinking Skills Table 1: Six OALCF Competencies/Nine essential skills - A comparison

OALCF COMPETENCY

SKILLS FOR SUCCESS

Find and Use Information

Creativity Communication Digital Problem Solving Reading Writing

Communicate Ideas and Information

Creativity Collaboration Communication Digital Problem Solving Reading Writing

Understand and Use Numbers

Digital Numeracy Problem Solving

Use Digital Technology

Adaptability Collaboration Communication Creativity Digital Numeracy Problem Solving Reading Writing

Manage Learning

Adaptability Collaboration Problem Solving

Engage with Others

Collaboration Communication Creativity Problem Solving Table 2: Skills for Success and the OALCF

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Skills for Success

COMMENTAIRES DE TAMARA TAMARA'S COMMENTS Definitions are changing, anything else?

Tamara Kaattari has been the Executive Director of the Literacy Link South Central in London, Ontario, since 1996. Since she has always believed in providing advice to the government about the needs and trends in Ontario’s literacy system, she has agreed to share her point of view on a couple of the topics that are covered in this issue of Perfectio.

We asked Tamara if she was seeing any changes coming, medium-term, for the LBS providers, in relation with the new Skills for Success model. Here is what she said: Over the last several decades, LBS providers have been working with different curriculums and frameworks (Essential Skills, different iterations of the International Adult Literacy Survey, the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework), but soft skills were always on the map, even if they didn't have the same names. For example, we spoke about "engaging with others" rather than collaboration, so it's more about definitions. Yes, the definitions are changing, but the learners we serve have low foundational skills in other areas as well (reading, writing, math, digital literacy, etc.). It’s rare for someone to want to attend LBS just to focus on soft skills. That said, the new Skills for Success Framework does draw attention to some important areas of skills – like creativity and problem solving – that are very much in demand because they touch every area of a person’s life and are critical for current and emerging jobs. ■

Skills for Success

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LABOUR MARKET CHANGES The future of jobs and skills, evolving work environments, digital impact

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Labour market changes

LABOUR MARKET CHANGES AND THE FUTURE OF SKILLS Based on the "Understanding the Future of Skills: Trends and Global Policy Responses" report, 2020, Public Policy Forum.

When we talk about the skills required for good jobs in the future, or about the evolution of these skills, we usually think about automation and the resulting job losses, or about specialized occupations in technological fields. In short, the first thing that comes to mind is a whole set of technological skills and abilities.

A report entitled Understanding the Future of Skills: Trends and Global Policy Responses1 was published in January 2020 by Sunil Johal and Michael Urban for a group of research institutions (the Future Skills Centre, the Public Policy Forum and the Diversity Institute), within the context of the Skills Next series.

The report looked at various international studies published in recent years on the main trends in the labour market and the evolution of skills. These studies (e.g. by the OECD or the C.D. Howe Institute) have focused on the impact of repetitive task automation on certain categories of jobs and employees.

However, their assessments of the risk of job losses and the imminence of this risk differed significantly.

For example, a scientific paper published in 2017 by two British researchers and widely reported in American media conclu­ ded that 47% of jobs in the United States are automatable, as are 57% of jobs in 21 OECD countries and up to 77% of jobs in China. The Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship concluded that 42% of jobs in Canada are at high risk of automation and 36% are at low risk of automation. The study published by the C.D. Howe Institute was more nuanced and emphasized that automation is a continuous process that has been going on for years and that the occupations and industries in Canada with the highest susceptibility to automation are those that have already achieved high levels of automation.

The report authors chose to look at the key ways in which technological advances are changing the future of skills. They identified five elements that could have a significant impact on the direction and shape of skills and work in the future.

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https://ppforum.ca/publications/understanding-the-future-of-skills

Changes driving the evolution of work:

1

DECLINE IN ROUTINE WORK;

2 THE UNBUNDLING OF TASKS; 3 GREATER NEED FOR ADAPTABILITY AND RESILIENCE; 4 A PREMIUM ON THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH TECHNOLOGY; 5 INCREASED EMPHASIS ON HARD-TOAUTOMATE SKILLS. Decline in routine work While few jobs are fully automatable, some tasks can be codified and then automated. The simplest and most routine tasks are the ones most likely to be automated.

The unbundling of tasks It is very likely that full-time jobs will become just one component of a more fragmented labour market, with more temporary and contract workers working on ad hoc projects.

Digital platforms are driving this trend.

Greater need for adaptability and resilience Contractual workers will need strong adaptability skills to bounce from one job to another. It is likely that they will also need to undergo some training in the course of their career.

At the same time, a decline in routine work will undoubtedly strengthen these skills in workers.

Labour market changes

Ability to work with technology If some of today's tasks are to be automated and robotized, it is logical to believe that the need for supervision of these operations will increase, along with the need to improve technologies and repair technological machines, whatever their form. Many jobs will require STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathema­ tics) knowledge and skills.

Increased emphasis on hard-to-automate skills Any tasks requiring skills that are difficult to automate, such as abstract thinking, complex, set-based decision making, creativity, critical thinking, and interpersonal and social skills, will maintain a significant presence in the labour market.

The report authors then looked at the subject of skills develop­ ment and lifelong learning. They noted that this topic was addressed in many discussions between countries at the 2018 G20 and has led to a collective commitment to better support people when it comes to vocational training, skills development and retraining.

They looked for common denominators that demonstrated effective long-term results in the various approaches being advocated by the different countries, or for promising signs of success in these approaches.

4. They adapted to the specific circumstances and needs of service users by continually innovating and adapting their programs. For example, the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) in the US provides regularly updated descriptions of nearly 1,000 occupations to help users choose the training they need and the careers they would like to pursue, while helping employers find workers with the necessary skills; 5. Some cross-sectoral approaches have aligned with other program and policy interventions to better target resources and avoid overlap and duplication. For example, the Réseau Emplois Compétences connects representatives of the French government, social partners, regions, pro­du­ cer organizations, academics and other experts in France.

It enables individuals and organizations working in the field of skills development to informally exchange information and lessons learned.

In Canada, each province has numerous agencies dedicated to basic training and skills development. However, according to the report authors, Canada is not the most active country in terms of public investment in vocational training and active return-to-work policies. 2,3 Moreover, according to this report (which was published in January 2020), Canadian employers are investing less and less in worker training and many workers are not eligible for skills training programs. ■

They identified five elements common to these approaches: 1. They focused on outcomes. For example, the Danish Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment (STAR) funds researchers to conduct studies on active national and international return-to-work programs, and the results are recorded in a knowledge bank accessible to stakeholders. It should be noted that Denmark has a highly mobile workforce: up to 25 % of Danes in the private sector change jobs each year thanks to the “flexicurity” employment system; 2. They had evaluation frameworks that produced rigorous data on what works and what does not, based on relevant and up-to-date labour market information. For example, the Australian government website myskills.gov.au provides data on course and training success rates, as well as labour market data, updated daily. It also maintains a national directory of vocational education and training providers and educational offerings. As another example, Singapore produces labour market information through regular consultations with employers, who indicate, industry by industry, what they expect to see happening in their industry and what skills will be required in the near future. Individuals can then use this sector-specific information to set their own learning priorities; 3. They offered digital services and online platforms to provide and exchange information between service users and providers, and between the different providers delivering these services; Johal, S., et al. (2018), Robots, revenues & responses: Ontario and the future of work. The Mowat Centre, n° 167, p. 24.

Munro, D. (2014). Employers must start investing in skills training or risk having public policy nudge them along. Financial Post, May 12, 2014 edition: https://financialpost.com/executive/management-hr/ employers-must-start-investing-in-skills-training-or-risk-having-public-policy-nudge-them-along 2

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Labour market changes

FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS:

Are we Allowed to Dream?

By Laurence Buenerd

//

Is Canadian society ready to be more flexible when it comes to work: schedules, timesheets vs. results, work sites, workfamily balance?

When we talk about having flexibility in our work, we are talking about something that is still relatively undefined, because it concerns changing the way things are done in relation to the work site, the work schedule and the way in which these paid activities are carried out (in other words: where, when and how). This flexibility can mean relative freedom in a number of different aspects: work rhythms, work schedules, worklife balance, or the employer's focus on results rather than the location or quantity of work being done.

The pandemic has accelerated attitude changes in regard to employment. Work sites and work schedules, for example, have become more flexible than ever before. The last two years have allowed organizations and individuals around the world to experiment with working conditions. However, as Emma Goldberg points out in her article A Two-Year, 50-MillionPerson Experiment in Changing How We Work1: “The office was never one size fits all. It was one size fits some, with the expectation that everybody else would squeeze in.” The mold definitely seems to have gotten bigger over the last two years.

WORKING AT THE OFFICE OR FROM HOME? In Canada, many employers, including the public service, have surveyed their employees over the past few months: work in the office, work at home, or a combination of the two? It would appear that an alternating work arrangement is preferable over working at home, with the least popular option being a return to work as it was before. According to a Statistics Canada survey conducted in early 2021, 32% of Canadian employees aged 15-69 did most of their work from home. Overall, 80% of these teleworkers, men and women in fairly similar proportions, indi­ cated that they would prefer to work at least half their hours (or more) at home once the pandemic is over. The remaining 20% said they would prefer to work most (11%) or all (9%) of their hours away from home2. Of course, we are talking about jobs that allow for these options, with waiters continuing to

Coordinator and Copywriter serve in bars and restaurants, nurses in health care facilities and truck drivers on the road. Businesses are also beginning to adapt to the new reality: in 2016, 13,000 Canadians were working from home for companies located in another province or territory. But when interviewed during the fourth quarter of 2021, Canadian employers projected that about 113,000 of their employees would telework exclusively from another province or territory over the next three months. While this number represents only a small portion of their total workforce (0.9%), it does highlight a shift to more flexible work arrangements.

Companies such as Google, Microsoft, Citigroup and Walmart have announced over the past year their intention to offer their employees a hybrid work arrangement that allows them to work outside the office for part of their working week. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna is quoted as saying that he no longer cares whether office workers arrive at 5 or 11 a.m., or whether their workday ends at 3 or 9 p.m., as long as they are productive.

Andi Owen, managing director of MillerKnoll, an American manufacturer of high-end office furniture and equipment, said she believed that companies would now listen more to what their employees had to say about their working environments than to what their management groups thought about the subject3.

Statistics Canada says that approximately 40% of jobs in Canada can be done by teleworking. In general, more women than men in the 25 to 65 age group are in teleworkable positions, while younger men and women under 25 are less likely to be in these types of positions. There are also significant sectoral differences, with about 85% of jobs in finance, insu­ rance, professional, technical and scientific services being teleworkable, compared to 5.6% of jobs in accommodation and food services, 11% in construction, 19% in manufacturing and 22% in retail trade4.

However, flexibility goes far beyond telework. And the comfort it affords some workers should not eclipse the fact that for others it is vital. People in particular situations, such as those with a temporary or chronic illness or disability, may need to adjust their schedules or reduce their working hours.

Emma Goldberg (March 12,2022), A Two-Year, 50-Million-Person Experiment in Changing How We Work, New-York Times, consulted March 12 at the URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/10/business/remote-work-office-life.html 2 N.d. (April 1st 2021), The impact of telework on workers' productivity and preferences, Statistics Canada, The Daily, consulted February 25 at the URL https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210401/ dq210401b-eng.htm 3 Ibid.

4 Tremblay, D-G. (November 10, 2021), La COVID-19 et les transformations du travail et de l’emploi, Revue Interventions économiques [Online], paragraph 5, consulted on February 3, 2022 at the URL: http://journals. openedition.org/interventionseconomiques/14785 1

Labour market changes For others, the more trivial issues of childcare or transportation can be avoided with adapted schedules or telework.

In any case, the people in these situations may find it slightly less difficult to work something out with their employer or future employer.

WORKING FROM HOME HAS ITS DISADVANTAGES In general, everyone appreciates flexibility. Telework, for one, has gained many followers. While working from home, an employee can feed the cat and walk the dog during the day, throw in a load of laundry and maybe even take a nap as a health break.

The amount of time and money saved in commuting from home to work varies from person to person, but few people regret being able to spend a little more time in bed or to take the kids to school. This time saved can also be turned into work time, a gain or loss, depending on the situation.

However, while the majority of Canadians want to retain this flexibility, many are concerned about the impact that telework may have on their careers. An Angus Reid survey for Cisco Canada conducted in October 20215 revealed that 46% of those surveyed were concerned about the impact of telework on their career advancement. Among the youngest respon­ dents in the 18 to 34 age bracket, 56% of respondents were concerned about the impact of telework on their career.

Many employees also complained over the past two years about their workload, as the fine line between work life and home life grew thinner as the period of confinement grew longer. Zoom meetings with young participants off-screen have become so commonplace that no one pays attention to them anymore. It is more often women who find themselves being penalized by this situation: how to reconcile a work day with childcare? Many of them had no choice but to do both, all while swallowing their feelings of guilt. Or they simply quit.

In the U.S., millions of workers quit their jobs in 2021, with a peak of 4.3 million in the month of August.6

ADAPTING TELEWORK Telework has not always been a popular choice for employers either: over the past decade, several large North American companies, such as Aetna, Best Buy, Bank of America, Yahoo, AT&T and Reddit, have experimented with telework. These experiments have been largely unsuccessful. The employees working off-site felt undervalued and marginalized. Their creativity and innovation was also affected. 7

longer defined by his or her place of work, or by his or her schedule. And that the productivity of these employees is not dependent on their physical presence in the office.

It also seems possible to mitigate some of the disadvantages of telework. For example, the American company Zillow has introduced the "One Zoom, All Zoom" rule. According to this rule, when one meeting participant is teleworking, all participants must meet on a video conferencing platform, even if they are all present in the same location. The alternative to this rule would be to institute on-site office days dedicated to meetings and collaborative projects.

Canadian universities began the fall 2021 term with an expanded range of teaching methods: online, face-to-face, both simultaneously (one cohort of students in the classroom and another online during the course), both alternating (with mandatory attendance for some courses or workshops), online and off-synchronized (for those who cannot attend either online or face-to-face, such as international students with significant time differences). Of course, while the goal is to meet the diverse needs of their students, there is no perfect, universal teaching method. But for these venerable institutions, the effort invested in offering several alternatives is already a big step.

If we use a bit of imagination, the ideal job and employer would look something like this: a work week divided between days at home and days at the office dedicated mostly to meetings, exchanges and collaborative projects; employers who are willing to accommodate the schedules of parents and those with special needs; a focus on results rather than hours worked; greater autonomy for those who want it; and a better professional life-home life balance.

FLEXIBILITY GOES FAR BEYOND TELEWORK, AND THE COMFORT IT AFFORDS SOME WORKERS SHOULD NOT ECLIPSE THE FACT THAT FOR OTHERS IT IS VITAL.

However, there are positive and lasting elements that will likely survive the great upheaval of telework. There is the discovery, for example, that an office worker's professional activity is no CBC News, October 28, 2021, Most Canadians want to keep flexible workplace, but many worry remote work will hinder career: survey, consulted n February 18 at the URL: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ british-columbia/work-from-home-flexibility-job-security-1.6228026 6 Wyatte Grantham-Philips (October 13, 2021), Record-breaking 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in August, new data show, USA Today, consulted on February 12 at the URL: https://www.usatoday.com/story/ money/2021/10/13/americans-quit-jobs-in-record-numbers/8433917002 7 David Streitfeld (June 29, 2020), The Long, Unhappy History of Working From Home, New-York Times, consulted on February 5, 2021 at the URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/technology/workingfrom-home-failure.html 5

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Labour market changes

TESTING THE FOUR-DAY WEEK In this respect, Spain is launching a 50 million euro pilot project in 2022 to experiment with a four-day week without wage cuts. Two hundred companies and their employees will take part in the project. At the end of the project, the results will be compared with those of companies that have retained the classic five-day work week8. Several studies in recent years have shown the increased productivity of those who work four days rather than five9. About 30 companies in the United Kingdom will also be experimenting with the four-day week starting in June 2022, according to the founder of the 4 Day Week Global coalition, Andrew Barnes10, after successful experiments were conducted in New Zealand, the United States and several European countries. The four-day week, unlike telework, can be applied to many different sectors of activity.

So none of this may be feasible for the Canadian workforce in the medium term, but we all know by now that the evolution of work arrangements as we know them is not only possible, it is also probable. ■

Marie-Hélène Ballestero (Octobre 11, 2021), En Espagne, la semaine de quatre jours va être testée à grande échelle, Radio France, consulted on March 17, 2022 à l’URL: https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-radio/ en-direct-du-monde/en-espagne-la-semaine-de-quatre-jours-va-etre-testee-a-grande-echelle_4785735.html 9 Roxane Léouzon (July 9, 2021), Semaine de quatre jours: le projet efficace mené par l’Islande, Le Devoir, consulted on March 5, 2022 at the URL: https://www.ledevoir.com/monde/europe/616968/travail-lecons-de-productivite-en-provenance-d-islande 10 Sian Elvin (March 17, 2022), Dozens of UK firms are about to trial four-day working weeks with no loss in pay, Metro, consulted on March 17, 2022 at the URL: https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/17/four-day-workingweek-30-more-uk-companies-commit-to-trial-16295344 8

Labour market changes

THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, THE LABOUR MARKET, AND ADULT LEARNING

By Matthias Sturm

//

PhD Candidate in Education, Simon Fraser University

Most of our days are spent working, learning, relaxing, and inte­racting in digital spaces – for many of us, it is nearly impossible to imagine not having “anytime, anywhere” access. Even before the pandemic, differences in income, age, education, immigration and migration status, and whether we live in an urban or rural community have meant many have no or limi­ ted Internet access.1 The divides between the “have-lots” and the “have-nots” of equitable digital access have been widening because the access and use of digital resources and services have not only reproduced social inequality, but they also have accelerated its development. 2 And rapidly expanding and entrenched digitally driven processes and practices at work, at home, and in the community have further contributed to this development during the pandemic.

The changes in the job market and the skills required to thrive in this changing environment are enormous, especially because more jobs have become digitalized. But digitally intensive sectors were also less impacted by the pandemic than non-digitally intensive sectors.3 Early in the pandemic, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) declined less in the digitally intensive sectors,4 which were arguably better prepared to pivot to telework. Furthermore, increased labour productivity due to an adoption of digital technology yields additional revenues.5 Digitally enabled small and medium-sized businesses to create more jobs and revenue growth.6 By personal choice, more than three quarters of teleworkers would prefer to work at least half

of their hours from home and up to a quarter of working hours could remain remote. 7 Because of limitations of in-person interactions with support programs, education providers, government services, and consumer offerings, the challenges that many adults have had in accessing and using online information, resources, and services, have become even more pronounced. Much is only accessible online or “online first”, that is in-person contact is only available after some form of online interaction, such as using online booking systems for in-person appointments and online application portals for a chance at a job interview.

Digital access is an ongoing accomplishment that is provisional and contingent for many adults.8 And we are all struggling with so-called basic technology skills.

DIGITAL ACCESS Adult literacy programs play an important role to provide opportunities for accessing and learning in digital spaces. With regular and reliable access, we are more likely to develop critical thinking and digital literacy skills, known as digital fluency.9 Digital fluency contributes to cultural and social capital10, that is the way we build and use knowledge and networks to improve our lives, including how we benefit from online interactions.

M. Haight, A. Quan-Haase, A., & B.A. Corbett, “Revisiting the digital divide in Canada: The impact of demographic factors on access to the internet, level of online activity, and social networking site usage” Information, Communication & Society, 2014, 17(4), 503–519, https://doi.org/1 0.1080/1369118X.2014.891633.

2 A. Van Deursen & J. Van Dijk, “The digital divide shifts to differences in usage” New Media & Society, 2014, 16, 507–526, https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444813487959 and J. van Dijk, “The Digital Divide” 2020, Polity.

3 N. Abdelaal & S. Andrey, “Overcoming Digital Divides Series: What We Heard” January 2022, https://www.ryersonleadlab.com/overcoming-digital-divides.

4 Statistics Canada. Government of Canada, “Economic performance associated with digitalization in Canada over the past two decades” February 2021, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-280001/2021002/article/00001-eng.htm.

5 The Information and Communications Technology Council, “Skills in the digital economy: where Canada stands and the way forward” 2016, https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ Skills-in-the-Digital-Economy-Where-Canada-Stands-and-the-Way-Forward-.pdf.

6 D. Michael, N. Aggarwal, D. Kennedy, et al., “Ahead of the curve: lessons on technology and growth from small-business leaders” 2013, https://image-src.bcg.com/Images/Ahead_of_the_Curve_ Oct_2013_tcm9-94245.pdf.

7 Statistics Canada. Government of Canada, “Working from home after the COVID-19 pandemic: An estimate of worker preferences” May 2021, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-280001/2021005/article/00001-eng.htm.

8 S. Smythe & S. Breshears, “Complicating access: Digital inequality and adult learning in a public access computing space” Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education, 2017, 29(1), 67–81.

9 C. Miller & J. Bartlett, “Digital fluency: Towards young people’s critical use of the internet, in Journal of Information Literacy” 2012, 6(2), 35–55, https://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/JIL/article/view/PRA-V6-I2-2012-3.

10 P. Bourdieu, “The Forms of Capital. In Richardson” “The Handbook of Theory and Research in Sociology of Education” 1986, Greenwood.

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Labour market changes Many learning opportunities in LBS programs are capital-­ enhancing activities,11 which can make a difference in the lives of many adult learners, navigating the increasingly digitized interactions. In Ontario, experiences of adult learners have often been mirrored in some of the LBS programs they turn to for support. Before the pandemic, 39% of programs had connectivity issues, and difficult to obtain or weak service.

Over half (52%) needed more training and support to integrate technology into learning programs, and 62% stated there was a need for training to integrate mobile techno­logy, the devices that many adult learners rely on.12 For some LBS organizations, digital capacities were limited at the start of the pandemic in terms of internet access, digital devices, online learning programs. As a result, some were not able to pivot quickly to online delivery when in-person services were closed.

SERVICE PROVIDERS AND TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION There are challenges but also opportunities for adult learning as it adapts to digitalization in the workplace and inte­ ractions with resources and services. What needs to be put in place to improve basic skills training in a broad sense and how are Francophone LBS centres affected? According to a study in the summer of 202013 after the first wave of the pandemic, 70% of Francophone LBS centres described their technology integration at the start of the pandemic as seamless integration when learners could also access instruction and resources outside of the program using their own devi­ ces or as regular integration when digital devices where available on-demand. But 26% of Francophone centres described their situation as limited integration.

What new challenges emerged in addition to those that already existed for LBS programs? During the first wave of the pandemic, 94% of programs in the entire LBS sector but 97% of Francophone LBS programs offered communication services, continued instruction, and new initiatives at a distance. Their main challenges were staying in touch with learners (36%) and continuing a similar learning program as before using new remote learning tools and approaches (36%).14 Many used a variety of outreach methods to communicate with learners, such as paper-based packages, phone calls, emails, and online instruction. Uneven access to professional development and learning technologies were challenges for some programs to pivot to online-only remote delivery.15 Since then LBS programs have pivoted between various in-person and remote modes of delivery because of the ongoing pandemic. How can Francophone LBS providers deal with these challenges?

More than 80% of Francophone LBS programs already bought additional digital devices for their staff and clients. The resources most needed to support remote delivery include emails with attachments or embedded text (73%) and with instructions and links to other sites (58%). Online learning (64%) and an online learning management platform to manage communication, content and instruction (33%) are important, as well as a Google site or other platform website (39%) or a page on Facebook (30%). But also needed are printed materials (42%) and ready-made, structured, employment-related content (21%). With respect to communication tools, phone calls (82%) remain essential but videoconferencing by Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, FaceTime and videos in WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger (76%) have become important. Texting (direct or with an app like WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger) (76%) and communication managed by an online learning management platform (30%) provide written communication in the support of learning a new dimension. Short notes or cards sent by mail (24%) still work for many centres too.16

DIGITAL FLUENCY CONTRIBUTES TO CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CAPITAL, THAT IS THE WAY WE BUILD AND USE KNOWLEDGE AND NETWORKS TO IMPROVE OUR LIVES, INCLUDING HOW WE BENEFIT FROM ONLINE INTERACTIONS.

EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT LEARNING What do LBS providers need to effectively connect remotely with new learners? One quarter of Francophone programs don’t have any urgent needs but the other three quarters identified specific ones: More professional development to use various digital tools to support learning (50%) and to use an online platform to manage all communication, content and instruction (31%), a streamlined and adapted processes related to registration, intake and milestone assessments, exit and follow-ups that can be done remotely (47%), regular communication with peers to share ideas (41%), online assessments for literacy and numeracy (38%) and digital skills (34%), professional development on transferring routines and activities to a remote environment (38%), and ways to curate open education resources (19%). More funding is also needed for the purchase of licenses

N. Zillien & E. Hargittai, “Digital distinction: Status-specific types of internet usage” Social Science Quarterly, 2009, 90(2), 274–291, www.jstor.org/stable/42940587.

TrendSpire Consultants, “LBS digital technology capacity and requirements consultation: Final report,” 2018.

13 Results of AlphaPlus survey “The shift to remote delivery in LBS” August 2020.

14 Ibid.

15 M. Sturm & C. Pinsent-Johnson, “The Digital Divide: An Ongoing State of Emergency in Adult Literacy Programs” Teaching in the Post COVID-19 Era, 2021, Springer, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-740887_72022.

16 Ibid.

17 Ibid.

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Labour market changes

WHEN COVID FATIGUE SET IN FOR SOME, THE PROGRAM DEVELOPED STRATEGIES TO SERVE LEARNERS WHO WISHED TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR LEARNER PLANS AS WELL AS CAPTURE NEW LEARNERS AND REFINE PROCESSES FOR FUTURE DELIVERY.

and programs (34%), devices or data for learners (28%), appropriate ebooks (16%), and devices or data for instructors (9%).17 Are LBS programs better equipped at the beginning of 2022?

Do they have a better capacity to support their clients who are facing these same challenges? Kerry Halliday, manager of the Skills Upgrading Program at the Upper Grand District School Board, said that her program was well prepared even before the pandemic. Because many clients could not travel to the centre, instructors already had technology in their hands and were able to pivot to work from home more easily. During the pandemic, they also altered work schedules, dropped off technology devices at learners’ homes, and regularly checked in via phone calls, texts, video calls, and letters or cards of encouragement. When Covid fatigue set in for some, the program developed strategies to serve learners who wished to continue with their learner plans as well as capture new learners and refine processes for future delivery. Kerry also said her clients now demand to participate from home and remote instruction supports many who are juggling jobs, family care, commutes, and pandemic issues.18

THERE ARE CHALLENGES BUT ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULT LEARNING AS IT ADAPTS TO DIGITALIZATION IN THE WORKPLACE AND INTERACTIONS WITH RESOURCES AND SERVICES.

18 19

Email correspondance, January 27, 2022.

Email correspondance, February 8, 2022.

Renelle Bélisle, Executive Director of the Cochrane-Iroquois Falls Centre, shared that a plan was put in place at the beginning of the pandemic, ensuring that learners had access to virtual platforms and training. Tablets and computers were provided to learners by way of curbside pick-ups and dropoffs at their homes. The computer instructor’s coordination and knowledge, and her constant support in reassuring and demonstrating how to use virtual platforms were essential elements. Sharing experiences and knowledge about technology between centres was also important. For some learners, the lack of internet access at home was a challenge and there was also fear of accessing online training among a few of them.

Renelle highlighted key elements to ensure remote service delivery: Up-to-date technological equipment at programs, a cost-effective way to provide portable internet access for learners, and training in online and blended learning.19

PATHS TO MORE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE SYSTEMS In October 2021, a preliminary discussion paper outlined broader strategies to “build a more equitable and inclusive LBS system that can provide learners with lifelong and lifewide digital instruction opportunities”: 11. Collaborating to ensure affordable data and devices; 22. Developing an integrated and informative learning framework; 33. Developing a blended learning approach and various models; 44. Sharing diverse knowledge and innovation;

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Labour market changes 55. Making sustainable investments in Ed Tech infrastructure; 66. Building people’s capacity for technology integration; 77. Developing responsive and equitable services, data collection and reporting; and 88. Choosing performance measures (success indicators) that work for everyone. 20

to serve more learners. The results are not known at the time of this article's publication, but a document from a preliminary meeting with online learning and LBS support organizations gives insights into what learners, instructors, and programs need to provide meaningful and quality programming […] significant investment in infrastructure, resources, and capa­ city is needed.”21 ■

Earlier this year, AlphaPlus and Contact North consulted with the LBS community and sector support organizations, as well as individuals in education, tutoring and learning, to create a roadmap to improve LBS system capacity to offer more distance services and expand blended learning opportunities

This diagram is excerpted from an interim discussion paper created during the process of developing a roadmap to enhance the remote service delivery capabilities of Ontario's LBS system, led by AlphaPlus and Contact North.22

20 21 22

AlphaPlus, “Eight strategies for equitable, sustainable and effective digital literacy development in Ontario’s LBS system“ October 2021, https://alphaplus.ca/download/discussing-strategies/ For more information about the LBS Digital Capacity project, visit https://capacity.alphaplus.ca/overview. https://alphaplus.ca/developing-a-road-map/

Workforce training

3

WORKFORCE TRAINING Apprenticeship and preapprenticeship, workplace training, relationship between the corporate world and LBS providers, corporate culture of in-house training

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Workforce training

Some Facts About Apprenticeship in The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum/Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) is a not-for-profit organization that acts as a national voice for the apprenticeship community, with members from employers, unions, equity groups, educational institutions and provincial and territorial governments.

The organization provides impartial findings on the challenges and barriers associated with apprenticeship. In 2021, it pu­ blished two fact sheets, namely “Apprentice Demand across Canada” and “2021 LMI Facts—Completion Rates,” which outline key trends in apprenticeship training between 2015 and 2019.

THESE FACT SHEETS SHOW THE TOP 15 RED SEAL TRADES AS FOLLOWS: › Automotive Service Technician

› Mason

› Boilermaker

› Mobile Crane Operator

› Carpenter

› Plumber

› Construction Electrician

› Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic

› Cook

› Sheet Metal Worker

› Hairstylist

› Steamfitter/Pipefitter

› Heavy Duty Equipment Technician

› Welder

› Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)

The top in-demand skilled trades across Canada are the following: › Boilermaker

› Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)

› Cook

› Mason

› Hairstylist

› Welder

The Province Launches a new Organiz According to the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, one in five jobs will be in the skilled trades by 2025. There are currently 144 skilled trades in Ontario. In late January 2022, the Ministry announced it was replacing the Ontario College of Trades with a new organization called Skilled Trades Ontario (STO). In keeping with the recommendations of the Skilled Trades Committee, STO will not operate on a membership model as the college previously did.

Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, stated that the new organization was created to streamline and simplify the apprenticeship system in the province. With a dedicated website and a one-stop shop system, Skilled Trades Ontario will allow apprentices to schedule courses and exams, submit forms, and pay fees, but most importantly, it will reduce processing and registration times to 12 days. For workers in the skilled trades, the new organization will issue and renew certificates of qualification for compulsory trades and non-compulsory trades with examinations, and will conduct occupational equivalency assessments.

Workforce training

ONTARIO AND ACROSS CANADA In Ontario, the trades most at risk of not having certified journeypersons1 are the following:

Those most at risk of not having an adequate number of certified journeypersons to meet the demand are the following:

› Boilermaker › Bricklayer

› Boilermaker

› Carpenter

› Bricklayer

› Cook

› Cook

› Heavy Duty Equipment Technician

› Hairstylist

› Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)

› Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)

› Welder

› Welder

In Ontario, the projections for Red Seal trades from 2021 to 2025 are 52,843 required certifications and 148,988 registrations.

With respect to apprenticeship completion rates, the second fact sheet shows that completion rates in 2019 varied widely by apprenticeship type: the highest completion rate was for boilermakers at 68%, and the lowest was for cooks at 36%.

Between 2015 and 2019, the completion rates that declined the

most were for construction electricians (-11%) and the completion rates that increased the most were for automotive service technicians (+12%) and hairstylists (+12%).

The report also shows that Ontario was among the Canadian provinces with the highest completion rate of 46% in 2019, along with Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Saskatchewan. ■

Source: Statistics Canada (RAIS), 2019, and CANTRAQ Prism Economics (2021). The two fact sheets “Apprentice Demand across Canada” and “2021 LMI Facts—Completion Rates,” can be downloaded here: https://caf-fca.org/en/research-reports.

1

This is because the estimated need for certified workers exceeds projected apprenticeship completion rates.

zation: Skilled Trades Ontario In addition, it will be responsible for research and development in apprenticeship training and curriculum standards, system monitoring and regulatory decisions, financial supports, and compliance and enforcement for the skilled trades.

The site (www.skilledtradesontario.ca) is intended to be more efficient, accessible and user-friendly for apprentices, workers and businesses in the skilled trades sector. It aims to streamline the apprenticeship system and encourage business participation.

Skilled Trades Ontario will also work to raise the profile of the skilled trades as a viable career choice in Ontario.

To read the tradespeople ■

press

release:

https://choosecornwall.ca/news-english/ontario-launching-new-agency-to-better-serve-

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Workforce training

Choosing Apprenticeship

A PATHWAY MANY LBS PROVIDERS CAN HELP WITH

By Laurence Buenerd

//

LBS practitioners have a lot to offer. Among less publicized acti­ vities are those that support other training programs, address skills gaps and help learners build their foundational skills. LBS practitioners have been working to forge stronger connections with Ontario’s apprenticeship system for decades. As alarming figures in the news report the shortage of skilled workers and the steep decline in new registrations and certifications, there might be a momentum.

Coordinator and Copywriter

training, and be better prepared for their apprenticeship until their certification. The first two "Apprenticeship Connection” newsletters12 , published by the Apprenticeship Committee of the Learning Networks of Ontario3 (LNO), a coalition of 16 regional learning networks located throughout Ontario, have collected several examples of how LBS can help preapprentices and apprentices on their path. Hence, the hashtag they chose: #HereForApprentices.

In the field of skilled trades, Ontario's LBS providers can make a big difference in helping future apprentices choose the right trade for them, get a clearer idea of what to expect during their

The first contribution to apprenticeship activities LBS practitioners can make is to help future apprentices have a better idea of the path that awaits them, get skills upgrading support and receive help in navigating in-school training. Following are two examples: › Humber College’s pre-apprenticeship program (Toronto), “Pathways to the Skilled Trades4”, is an 8-week program for those who are currently unemployed, interested in exploring the trades and experiencing financial hardship. Enrolled students will have 30 hours of training per week, including 15 hours of work related to the relevant trade, 6 hours of academic upgrading and 2 hours of employment preparation. They will also participate in workshops discussing pathways, emotional intelligence, the apprenticeship process, time management, funding, budgeting, etc. › A partnership between the Centre for Employment & Learning (CEL) in Huron County and the Technical Training Group (TTG) launched a "Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship Multiple Trades Exposure Programs", designed to teach the basic theory and practical knowledge needed to get entry-level work in the skilled trades. This 25-week program includes 17 weeks of in-school theory, hands-on practical training, trade math, blueprint reading, employment preparation and safety training, as well as a paid 8-week work placement.

1 2 3 4

Issue #1 of The Apprenticeship Connection Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/954e57248d26/the-apprenticeship-connection-issue-1 Issue #2 of The Apprenticeship Connection Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/290a8626c3f1/the-apprenticeship-connection?e=[UNIQID] https://learningnetworks.ca https://humber.ca/community/training-programs/youth/pathways-to-the-skilled-trades.html

Workforce training

A second contribution is to help future apprentices to be better prepared for their apprenticeship: › A partnership between LiUNA Local 1059 and Literacy Link South Central (LLSC) has been implemented to pay specific attention to pre-apprentices’ skills in math, reading comprehension, soft skills and digital literacy skills, and any learning challenges or barriers. Many pre-apprentices take the math program to develop their skills, and those who need to gain Grade 10 credentials or to have their credentials recognized and accredited are also supported. › The St. Charles Adult and Continuing Education Centres at the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School have developed a partnership with Hamilton's YWCA. St. Charles focuses on numeracy upgrading for participants in the women’s electrical pre-apprenticeship program who do not have the Grade 12 math credentials they need. St. Charles also helps with recruitment by allowing various partner organizations to come and speak to their general student popu­ lation about opportunities.

A third contribution is to support apprentices in their learning, and even sometimes support the employers: › The St. Charles Adult and Continuing Education Centres at the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School have developed two other partnerships with the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 837, and with Hamilton's Immigrants Working Centre (IWC): › LiUNA Local 837 focuses on the HYIC (Hamilton Youth in Construction) program in Construction craft and cement finishing. St. Charles recruits youth, provides soft skills training and referrals to Employment Service providers for the HYIC classes. › Hamilton's Immigrants Working Centre (IWC) provides truck driver training. St. Charles has created a math course to help participants write the final exam successfully. St. Charles also helps with recruitment by allowing various partner organizations to come and speak to their general student population about opportunities in the skilled trades. › Because math is widely needed in a variety of trades, Humber College signed a partnership to provide math support for apprenticeship students in the Electrical Apprentices (ELAP) and Plumbing Apprentices (PLAP) programs. › Support Ontario Youth (SOY) matches employers with qualified apprentices and helps both navigate the recruiting, registering, paperwork processes and supports apprentices with guidance and mentorship. › St. Lawrence College in Kingston and Literacy Link Eastern Ontario (LLEO) have a partnership going on with the campus’ LBS program to support struggling apprentices.

These are just a few examples of how LBS providers can be a valuable part of apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. ■

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Workforce training

LBS AND APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING, a Marriage That Could be a Happy one Stephanie Hobbs is the Project Facilitator at the Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Board and Literacy Network in Barrie. She answered our candid questions on the apprenticeship trends in Ontario and the LBS providers’ input.

DO YOU FEEL THAT THERE IS MOMENTUM FOR APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING IN RECENT YEARS? There has been an ongoing shortage of skilled trades­people in Ontario and in Canada for several years. The report Apprentice Demand: A 2021 Labour Market Information Report: Ontario, released in August 2021 by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum1 indicates that Ontario will need approximately 88,960 new certified journeypersons over the next decade to keep pace with economic growth and rising retirements, two-thirds of which will be concentrated in the top 15 Red Seal trades.

It will be necessary to attract more than 296,350 new apprentices in the Red Seal trades alone. This does not factor in the number of apprentices that will be needed to maintain certification levels in the other trades. At the same time, there has been a decline in the number of youth choosing to enter the skilled trades. As a result, there is a push on to attract and recruit new apprentices. Many trades organisations, training delivery providers, and federal and provincial governments are actively promoting the trades in schools, to parents and to the general public. Governments are also providing incentives to both employers and potential apprentices.

CURRENTLY IN ONTARIO, WHAT ARE THE MAJOR TRENDS OR ISSUES REGARDING APPRENTICESHIP? The trends: › Increasing need for digital literacy and digital technology skills in many, if not all, trades. More trades jobs are moving to smaller percentage of time spent using hand tools and greater percentage using digital tech. › Changes resulting from the new framework for skilled trades and apprenticeship, including the establishment of the new Skilled Trades Ontario2.

Some issues: › Lack of formal preparation for the in-school portions of apprenticeship which leads to many feeling overwhelmed and/or not very successful with the theory and math involved. › Accessibility and inclusion barriers for underrepresented populations – women and individuals from Black, Indigenous, People of Colour and LGBTQ2S communities.

In construction skilled trades, for example, women make up only 6% of tradespeople in Ontario and figures from 2020 show that Indigenous people account for only 2.7% of the construction workforce. It is crucial that the trades attract more people from these underrepresented communities.

This includes making workplaces and company cultures more welcoming to all. › Reluctance of employers to take on apprentices – perception that other companies will steal them away; issues with the ratio of journeypersons to apprentices.

Both an issue and a trend: There is a growing need for partnerships and ensuring wraparound supports are available, e.g. from LBS and employment services, colleges, employers, and financial supports – everyone working together to identify apprentices’ needs and provide the support that will lead to them having a successful outcome.

ARE THERE ANY APPRENTICESHIPS AVAILABLE THAT YOU FIND PARTICULARLY INTERESTING AT THIS TIME? We’re interested in the effects the shift to green technologies will have on some existing apprenticeships, such as changes in what they will need to know and how the training will evolve.

The Conference Board of Canada and Future Skills Centre are currently researching these aspects. We are also wondering

Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, (August 2021), Apprentice Demand: A 2021 Labour Market Information Report: Ontario: https://literacynetwork.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/CAF_Report_LMI-2021_EN_ Ontario_FINAL1.pdf 2 Skilled Trades Ontario is the new Crown agency replacing the Ontario College of Trades: www.skilledtradesontario.ca 1

Workforce training whether there will be any cool new apprenticeships that focus on green technology – maybe for jobs that don’t exist yet.

In addition, there are some relatively new apprenticeships in the service sector. Trades/ activities in this sector include retail, real estate, education, health, social work, communication and many others. What’s interesting about the service sector, as is also the case for the other sectors of apprenticeship, is the opportunity for people to make a living while they are learning.

CAN YOU ALSO TALK A BIT ABOUT THE TYPES OF PRE-APPRENTICESHIPS OFFERED BY LBS PROVIDERS? Skills upgrading provided by LBS agencies ranges from general upgrading in math, communications, using digital technology, soft skills and study skills, to specific upgrading done in context of a certain trade or group of trades. While LBS sometimes partners with specific pre-apprenticeship programs, apprentices and potential apprentices can connect with an LBS provider at any time to get the upgrading they need for their path.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE LOW COMPLETION RATES? Much has been said about low completion rates in Ontario and in Canada in general. As cited in the report mentioned above on Apprentice Demand3 released by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, the completion rate for total apprenticeships in Ontario averages less than 50% per year. Projected completions over the next 10 years in the top 15 Red Seal trades averages 61%, which will not meet the projected demand for journeypersons.

have similar training in their country of origin and who want to practice their trade in Canada. The passing of the Working for Workers Act, 2021 eliminates the requirement for newcomers to have Canadian experience, which should make it easier for highly skilled internationally-trained immigrants to get access to jobs that match their qualifications and skills, and find work in their field of expertise. I understand from colleagues who work with newcomers that immigrants have varying levels of understanding of apprenticeship, depending on their countries of origin, and the countries they have lived in. Immigrants from countries (for example Germany) with strong apprenticeship pathways usually perform well in apprenticeship challenge exams, particularly because the systems are similar. Others have the same outdated, negative perspectives about the skilled trades that many other Canadians have. Many countries do not have apprenticeship programs, so there is room to help educate newcomers about occupations in these trades, and what that means for credential recognition in Canada. In addition, language acquisition is another obstacle to the credential recognition/challenge process for apprenticeships in Ontario.

YMCA chapters have collaborated on an initiative called Ontario Newcomer Trades Action Program (ONTAP) that is designed to inform immigrants about apprenticeships in Ontario, and encourage employers to sign immigrants as their apprentices. ■

It must be noted that in Ontario, the total number of registrations that is used for the completion calculation includes all the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) participants who tend not to continue into Level 2 of their apprenticeship.

Therefore, the completion rate is likely better that generally reported. However, even 65-70% is unlikely to meet the demand.

Over the years, we have learned that the two main reasons apprentices drop out are: › A lack of core math, communications, digital literacy and study skills, on which to build higher-level technical skills. › Poor understanding of the technical and “soft” or emplo­ yability skills they need to succeed in the trades.

These are two areas LBS upgrading can address to help apprentices be more successful.

DO YOU KNOW IF APPRENTICESHIPS ARE OF INTEREST TO NEWCOMERS? Yes, newcomers are interested, though I have no statistics on how many register. The trades are of interest to those who Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, (August 2021), Apprentice Demand: A 2021 Labour Market Information Report: Ontario: https://literacynetwork.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/CAF_Report_LMI-2021_EN_ Ontario_FINAL1.pdf 3

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La Cité collégiale : 140 Programs and 60 Fields of Study to Form the Next Generation of Skilled Workers

By Manon Labrosse

//

La Cité, Administrative and Academic Services

O f f i c e r , S k i l l e d Tr a d e s A c a d e m y La Cité collégiale (La Cité) is the largest French-language college of applied arts and technology in Ontario, having been well established in the National Capital Region and Eastern Ontario for a quarter of a century. Our mandate is to prepare a skilled new generation of professionals such as skilled workers, technicians and technologists in over 140 programs and 60 fields of study to meet the labour market demands of today and the future.

La Cité is training a committed and creative workforce capable of contributing to the economic, social and cultural develop­ ment of the French-speaking communities of Ontario and of

society in general. Our skills-based educational model and stateof-the-art facilities simulate the labour market, which in turn helps us carry out realistic learning activities. As well, we offer each of our learners a personalized program that allows them to develop their skills at their own pace and to prepare for the labour market, based on a diagnostic evaluation of their skills.

In addition to our programs of college studies, and thanks to our strong collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, La Cité is able to train over 500 apprentices each year in the following apprenticeship programs:

Trade

Code

Sector

Certification

Campus

Child Development Practitioner

620C

Service

Optional

Ottawa

Electrician (Construction and Maintenance)

309A

Construction

Mandatory

Orleans

General Carpenter

403A

Construction

Optional

Orleans

Brick and Stone Mason

401A

Construction

Optional

Orleans

Plumber

306A

Construction

Mandatory

Orleans

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic

313A

Construction

Mandatory

Orleans

Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic

313D

Construction

Mandatory

Orleans

Sprinkler and Fire protection installer

427A

Construction

Mandatory

Orleans

Appliance Service Technician

310S

Motive power

Mandatory

Ottawa

Welder

456A

Industrial

Optional

Hawkesbury

Industrial Mechanic Millwright

433A

Industrial

Optional

Hawkesbury

General Machinist

429A

Industrial

Optional

Hawkesbury

Workforce training Apprenticeship is just as interesting as college or university studies. It can lead to challenging and rewarding careers in the skilled trades. Canada and Ontario depend on skilled workers in many ways. These are the individuals who build and repair the homes we live in, build and maintain the electrical systems that power our computers and heat our homes, build and maintain our schools, hospitals, roads and provide many of the services we rely on every day.

As apprentices, students learn their trade by working under an experienced worker known as a sponsor, while being paid.

In addition, two or three times during their training, they are required to complete an academic program at a recognized institution, such as La Cité. Each level of training normally lasts eight weeks. After having completed all the hours of training provided for in any given apprenticeship program, passing the entrance exam to the trade allows them to become certified.

To address this shortage, each year the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development provides La Cité with the opportunity to offer pre-apprenticeship programs. These 36 to 52-week programs assist individuals who are interested in a skilled trade but lack the skills and experience to obtain employment as an apprentice.

Over the years, La Cité has offered various pre-apprenticeship programs in the areas of electrical, masonry, automotive maintenance and carpentry. This year, La Cité is planning to offer three pre-apprenticeship programs in the areas of early childhood and child development, electrical, and automotive maintenance, with a projected start date of June 2022.

For more information on La Cité’s programs, please contact the team by phone at 613-742-2493, extension 4502, or by email at IMET@lacitec.on.ca. ■

The shortage of professionals specializing in skilled trades in Ontario is a concern. A whole new generation of skilled workers will need to be trained to meet labour market needs.

THE APPRENTICESHIP CONNECTION, A NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO APPRENTICESHIP IN ONTARIO

Asked how her network came up with the idea of publi­ shing a newsletter dedicated to apprenticeship in Ontario, Stephanie Hobbs, Facilitator with the Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Board and Literacy Network in Barrie, answered by first stating that apprenticeship is an important goal path for LBS learners to know about and pursue. However, the apprenticeship system is vast, undergoing transformations, and it has many moving parts. As a result, it is challenging for LBS programs and instructors to keep abreast of critical information.

The Apprenticeship Committee of Learning Networks of Ontario (LNO) decided to use a series of newsletters to disseminate information on skilled trades and apprenticeship resources, trends and initiatives, and to illustrate how LBS can support apprenticeship. We opted for a newsletter because we wanted to provide information to LBS programs in digestible chunks and having a series of newsletters helps us to share emerging information on apprenticeship and apprenticeship-related initiatives with our programs.

Asked about the type of information that will be made avai­ lable in future issues of the newsletter, Stephanie answered that their main goals are to raise awareness of how the

Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) providers can support apprentices, and to provide LBS practitioners with current information and resources to do so. Some topics they would like to cover include: › Newcomers and apprenticeship › Incentives and special programs › New resources and targeted training around apprenticeship › Partnerships between LBS and apprenticeship/preapprenticeship › Updates from Skilled Trades Ontario and MLTSD Three issues of The Apprenticeship Connection are currently available on the dedicated web page: https://learningnetworks.ca/the-apprenticeship-connection ■

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Workforce training

IN ONTARIO, A COMMUNITY COLLEGE MODEL OF LEARNING IN THE REGIONS

By Denis Brouillette

//

Manager of Apprenticeship Programs, Collège Boréal

The apprenticeship model in Ontario was designed for people who are already employed but who want to upgrade their skills and become qualified professionals in a recognized skilled trade. It includes technical apprenticeship, which is done on the job, and accounts for 85-90% of the learner’s time and theoretical apprenticeship, which accounts for the remaining 10-15% of their time. This theoretical learning is offered by va­ rious colleges across the province. Depending on the type of apprenticeship, the academic training will be delivered in two or three blocks of courses, corresponding to levels, and grouped over periods of about eight weeks. For example, a hairstylist apprentice would require two sessions of classroom instruction and approximately 3,500 hours of work. On the other hand, an electrical apprentice would need three theoretical sessions and about 9,000 hours of work. For this reason, the length of an apprenticeship varies from three to five years, depending on the trade. To avoid any penalization, apprentices are covered by employment insurance during their theoretical training, since the 30 hours per week of theoretical training does not allow them to work.

Denis Brouillette, Manager of Apprenticeship Programs at Collège Boréal, believes that apprenticeship programs allow apprentices to progress efficiently. Once the first level of theory is completed, they can then apply that theory for another year or two when they return to work. The apprentice can then move on to the next level with a better understanding of what they have learned, until they take their qualifying exam at the end of the program.

Apprenticeship in Ontario covers several types of trades: tradi­ tional trades, such as construction, but also service trades, which are perhaps less well known. In 2022, there are 144 trades that are "recognized" and apprenticed in four different sectors: construction, industrial, motive power and service.

They all share a standardized training process that leads to provincial certification.

Ontario is updating its list of apprenticeship trades to meet and adjust to labour market needs. For example, the helping trades, introduced in the late 2010s, responded to a need to stan­dardize workers’ skills in these sectors.

Workforce training At the end of 2021, Collège Boréal offered apprenticeship programs in nearly fifteen trades: electricians, truck and bus maintenance technicians, plumbers, child development practitioners and teacher assistants, to name a few. These programs were available in-person at campuses in Northern Ontario or online.

Because apprenticeships are designed to meet the needs identified in the various sectors of activity, their costs are largely covered by the province. Denis Brouillette explains that appro­ ximately 85% of the costs of apprenticeship training are covered by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, with the remaining 15% paid by the apprentices. But unlike other types of training, people who wish to follow an apprenticeship program must have a job and the agreement of their employer.

If not, they can start by taking a pre-apprenticeship course, which will increase their chances of finding an employer inte­ rested in taking on a future apprentice.

Each year, the Ministry launches a call for proposals for various pre-apprenticeship training programs based on the estimated needs of the various business segments, particularly in the cons­truction and mechanical sectors.

For Denis Brouillette, these programs are especially relevant for both young college students who are unsure about their career choices and professionals who want to learn more before making a career change. These training courses are completely free, lasting from 25 to 35 weeks, and include basic skills upgrading, math upgrading, skills training in the trade or group of trades being contemplated by the parti­ cipants, health and safety training, and finally, an eightto twelve-week work internship.

These types of training have been in place for about 15 years in Ontario. They offer a first glimpse into what the skilled trade is really like, but also the chance to find an employer through the internship who will be interested in having an apprentice for a few years and in accompanying this person through to his or her certification.

Collège Boréal has adapted over the years by offering preapprenticeship programs exclusively to female participants in such traditional trades as construction or mechanics. Still today, few women choose careers in electricity, carpentry or welding, so these programs allow them to experiment and to gain confidence without fear of being judged.

These programs are also intended to address labour shortages in several sectors, something that is now prompting certain employers to consider hiring women to fill their needs.

He says that participant profiles vary greatly: they come from high school or have chosen to change careers, and all active age groups are represented, from 18 to 50 years.

With ten female participants just wrapping up a preapprenticeship program in carpentry, the manager of apprenticeship programs is pleased with the move to integrate women into the traditional trades. He believes, however, that there is room for even more women interested in this type of career.

STILL TODAY, FEW WOMEN CHOOSE CAREERS IN ELECTRICITY, CARPENTRY OR WELDING, SO THESE PROGRAMS ALLOW THEM TO EXPERIMENT AND TO GAIN CONFIDENCE WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING JUDGED. When asked about the impact of labour shortages on the popu­ larity of apprenticeship programs, Denis Brouillette says he suspects it will not be any easier for employers looking to take on apprentices. He is also concerned that certain careers types have lagged behind for re-training during the pandemic.

The service sector has suffered: many people working in hair­ dressing, hospitality and early childcare have left their jobs to pursue other careers. However, he believes that apprenticeships are still a very relevant type of training, as there is a great need for skilled labour. For this reason, much effort has been made to promote the trades and apprenticeship training. Collège Boréal will continue to offer apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship training every year in several different regions, in order to meet the needs of the industry and accommodate apprentices who need to travel to complete their theoretical training, but also to continue serving the province's French-speaking communities. ■

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Workforce training

A WELL-OILED MACHINE IN WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE TRAINING AT VALA

Valley Adult Learning Association is a Literacy and Basic Skills program, funded under the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Its office is located in the small town of Fort Frances in Northwestern Ontario.

For the 21st last years, Barb Duguay, the program administrator, and Kim Redford, the instructor, have been successfully running the adult literacy program at a time when Workplace/ Workforce definitions were out there but really not well defined.

After much consultation and discussion with learners and employers, a Workplace vs. Workforce guide was developed.

This is how workplace and workforce trainings could be characterized: Workplace › Authentic training driven by the employer › Can be off-site or on-site

WORKPLACE SCENARIOS Over the years, the VALA agency has worked diligently with employers and learners to secure new skills and job security.

Here are some examples of the training in Workplaces.

SUPER 8 ESSENTIAL SKILLS TRAINING PROJECT The management team of the Super 8 Hotel approached the VALA program, and was invested in training staff. Barb Duguay believes that when the employer is on board, it offers both the LBS program and the employer time to design authentic training. Bonuses for that project were not only both parties’ investment in time but also the fact that wages were paid to employees as they were attending training.

Shortly after the training, they were told that the hotel manager was pleasantly surprised with the increase in staff camaraderie and problem solving abilities.

› Employer determines learning objectives

› Essential Skills Project;

› Employer provides learners

› Run in conjunction with Super 8 hotel in 2010;

Employer referral: My employee needs some training Workforce › Authentic training driven by the employee › Learner determines the work skills needed to be successful › Learners may be working already or looking for employment › Can be off-site or on-site Self-referral: I need some training One of the keys to VALA’s programs’ successes is flexibility, reflects Barb Duguay. Another one is certainly Authentic Training: a learner will be more invested in learning what is relevant to their workplace. Also, an employer will prefer to invest in an employee who will improve performance in the workplace.

› To address essential skills needs in the workplace; › Super 8 staff required skills upgrading in digital technology in order to transition into a new computer management system; › 17 staff members participated; › 6 month computer training course (2 days per week to alternate staff); › Staff paid wages by Super 8 during training.

ONTARIO TOURISM EDUCATION CORPORATION (OTEC) – CUSTOMER SERVICE In August of 2017, VALA was presented an opportunity through the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation: a week of intense training in Toronto was offered to employers and staff in the hospitality industry. The recruitment process was to be handled by VALA and it was a challenge as the design had to be designed around staff working in the hospitality business, with

Workforce training

little available time from the employers to discuss the program content. But it was finally managed with in-person quick meetings. OTEC provided for the loss of wages for the staff, which secured the success of the program. Barb believes that one of the keys to successful training is to secure incentives from a variety of agencies.

Barb believes the ingredients that led to success were:

› OTEC provided curriculum, staff training and facilitator;

› Employers were very willing to assist employees to gain experience on site.

› VALA was required to provide 10 learners at the management level and 10 learners at Line level (front-line workers) in the hospitality sector; › The management received 2 full days of training, the frontline workers received 3 full days; › Lunches were provided; › Outreach worker established contact with local hospitality employers and marketed the program.

INTRODUCTION TO ADMIN Barb Duguay says the most important thing they learned while designing and delivering the training was that, by knowing the specific needs of a group of learners, they made sure to create a program meeting those needs. All ten learners were able to complete the training. The program’s success was also partly due to incentives. › Ontario Works First Nation requested an Administration course for recipients; › Ontario Works determined the schedule, created to acco­m­ modate daycare, schooling and transportation in and from the community; › Ontario Works paid for lunches and arranged transportation; › Training included digital technology, office technology, Computer training, policies and procedures, workplace communications, Dress for success, Employer expectations; › Incentives were provided by OW and VALA; › All participants were on Methadone so training needed to work around medical appointments; › Participants set their own policies for the course.

A FEW OTHER EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC EMPLOYERS’ REQUESTS: › New Gold Inc. goldmine asked for the training of an employee new to a team leader role; › The Fort Frances jail requested onsite computer training for employees using in-house templates; › Wasaw Food Services needed small business owners to get computer upgrading training to effectively run their businesses;

› The employers were very flexible with their employees’ schedules to attend training; › VALA had several referrals from their Employment Ontario Partners;

CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS TRAINING One last example Barb Duguay is willing to share is an overlapping one: workforce and workplace training. It took place in September 2017. VALA was offering a Customer Service Skills training course and several employees from the local Pharmasave signed up. The VALA staff reached out to Pharmasave to gather the specific customer service skills desired by the employer and tailored the training around working in a pharmacy. VALA was finally able to monitor the attendees in their workplace after completion of the trai­ ning, in partnership with Pharmasave. This is a good example of how flexibility can improve an initial offering, comments Barb Duguay. She agrees that creating programming, whether it be Workplace or Workforce training, can be challenging but she strongly believes it is also rewarding, and that offering LBS services doesn’t have to be straight forward. Being creative, flexible and offering authentic training can be a complete game changer for LBS providers across the province. ■

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Workforce training

The Literacy Group : Facilitate Contacts Between LBS Programs and Businesses Chris Prosser is the Executive Director of The Literacy Group, a LBS provider located in the Waterloo Region.

HOW DID YOU START 10 YEARS AGO? WHAT KIND OF TRAI- YOUR BUSINESS PLAN DERIVED FROM A SWOT1 ANALYSIS NING WERE YOU PROVIDING AND HOW DID YOU MORPH OF YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. WOULD YOU REINTO A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PLATFORM? COMMEND ANY NON-PROFIT LBS PROVIDER TO DO THAT ANALYSIS AS WELL? Even though the start of onsite training predates me, the first opportunities TLG had with this type of training was through the smaller businesses of volunteer tutors. A lot of volunteer tutors are professionals who own their small to medium-sized companies and as they knew of the importance of skills upgra­ ding and what TLG did, conversations and programs were soon arranged to have TLG come into their company and upgrade smaller groups of employees whom they recognized as being in need of literacy training. The kind of training provided back then was to support the specific responsibilities of the group of employees and was most often basic literacy us­ing actual workplace documents. However, what was noticed very early in all the programs was the increase in engagement and contribution from the employee’s day-to-day basis.

From the success of these programs, all we needed was an opportunity. More of the similar smaller programs through volunteers and learner employees. In 2019, TLG was successful in a grant project with a local refugee support organization and local manufacturing businesses where we formed the delivery model we use today.

I think any LBS provider needs to look hard and realistically at its limits and capacity. The process to work with new unchartered territory with a for profit was exciting and rewarding, but involved a lot of organizational learning, consumption of time and a drain on resources. We found initially that the programs grew quickly and sometimes beyond the budget and resources put in place.

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE COMMUNITY NETWORK WAS VERY HELPFUL IN THE RISING OF TLG. IN WHICH WAYS? Right now, we are very lucky to be working in two corporate networks, one of manufacturing organizations in Ontario and another of senior leaders. To be positioned in these networks have been invaluable and I would recommend any LBS provider to find that regular support when developing this type of program.

SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A SWOT analysis is useful for the evaluation of the strategic position of organizations and the identification of the internal and external factors favorable and unfavorable to achieve their objectives.

1

Workforce training In addition to this, these same manufactures are looking to new efficient methods of supporting employees to grow and for the front-line team to move into middle management and increase their contribution to the company. Finding potential to fill areas and have experienced staff ready to work with the next gene­ ration of employees. There was a lot of interest in some of the additional programs we ran such as training supervisor staff to work with low skilled employees in a mentoring role or the provision of sensitivity training and skill set to work with low English-speaking adults. This was very positive to hear, and reflective of the attitudes employers have to make a difference.

WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD FACILITATE CONTACT BETWEEN LBS AND CORPORATE FOR PROFIT? AND IMPROVE THE VISIBILITY OF LBS PROVIDERS TO EMPLOYERS?

Chris Prosser

TODAY, WHAT KIND OF VOLUNTEERING IS DONE AT TLG? WITH WHAT KIND OF VOLUNTEERS? We utilize volunteers for one-to-one tutoring, small group instruc­ tion, group assistance, resource development and admin­istrative support. We are very lucky to be supported by volunteers from every way of life from retired professionals, past learners to newcomers to Canada looking for some experience.

It has been our experience that employers are happily surprised that LBS services are free and accessible to adults in the community. When we discuss how these services could be made available to their staff on site within work time, particularly for staff they recognize as having basic skill gaps, they are very motivated to make something happen. The chemistry is there and the partnership is a natural one. The barrier is LBS visibility in the corporate field. What TLG discovered was that first we needed to develop messaging that was more relatable to for profit. We discovered we had different languages and we had to change our messaging rather than educating them on our acronyms and terminology. Once our language was more neutral, we used it to develop a more common mission statement with a more corporate training angle. A big funder was that they were using a community-based organization and that they could share this partnership which was a big benefit for them. We then created a delivery model with actual success examples and then discussed pricing. The contact needs to be one of listening and development of partnerships, rather than selling of a product. Once all this is in place, it is a matter of using all our networks, donors, volunteers… basically everyone we have, to promote our goal and provide our contacts and friends with simple steps on what they can do to help us become more visible.

ACCORDING TO A RECENT SURVEY BY CERIC (NOV-DEC 2021)2, 81% OF CANADIAN EMPLOYERS FIND IT DIFFICULT TO FILL POSITIONS IN THEIR COMPANY AND 62% OF THEM WOULD BE LIKELY TO HIRE SOMEONE WITH SOFT SKILLS WHO IS A GOOD FIT AND PROVIDE TRAINING. WHAT IS YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE LABOUR MARKET TRENDS IN THE WHAT ARE YOUR METHODS OF APPROACHING EMPLOYERS? WATERLOO REGION? Very similar, and we have heard this directly from some of the region’s biggest manufacturers and employers. We also hear some genuine concern that there will not be the amount of skilled workforce to support the demand over the next 10 years as well as now.

We are developing a plan for this and as we are a smaller LBS provider, which is to start within our own network marketing our services and start small but successfully. Any good relationships are formed through positive referrals and word and mouth, which is what LBS providers do very well. As this is the case, we want to shoot bullets before cannibals and go for the gradual approach rather than a big push into the market.

From the conversations we have had, turnover is still an issue in the region and employers are eager to try new things to make themselves stand out and maintain staff. There is certainly a real goal among local employers to empower the workforce with the skills they need to become more stable and independent.

We have done a considerable amount of work to profile whom we want to do business with and what questions to ask to find them. We look for what the employer can provide to support the training, such as paid time. Is the training location secure, accessible and not prone to being double booked? Are there clear

2

https://ceric.ca/2022/01/ceric-national-employer-survey-reveals-canadian-executives-struggling-with-recruitment-skills-gap

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Workforce training expectations of the employer with the training staff and how will they recognize and celebrate this training in the company? In addition to these questions, we also look at the employer’s mission statements, how they support their community and see if we are a good comparison.

We found a really good match was with Tigercat Industries as we found we both had strong goals to support newcomers in the region.

DO THE EMPLOYERS YOU USUALLY TALK TO HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT LBS PROVIDERS OFFER? It varies, but on average no… but let’s face it outside of LBS not many organizations really do. What we did notice was that when explained, the employers were amazed and very happy to know that these services were free and supporting the community.

Out of most conversations we had, we got social media following, referrals, donations and even a volunteer tutor.

WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD FACILITATE CONTACT BETWEEN THESE TWO WORLDS? AND IMPROVE THE VISIBILITY OF LBS PROVIDERS TO EMPLOYERS? I think this is provincial funder responsibility and they have the most power and resources to do this easier than LBS providers and LBS networks. The community is the one who benefits from this and LBS is not often provided the funds needed to market programs enough to make these connections with employers. There is such potential to have employers know of LBS services and if this can be done by the funders, we can do the rest and make programs happen. LBS providers are very flexible and it is our business to meet the need of the community and there is a need in the workplace, an investment now is a cure of tomorrow’s issues. ■

TAMARA'S COMMENTS Improving the visibility of LBS providers in the corporate world We asked Tamara how to improve the visibility of LBS providers in the corporate world, so that they are seen as potential service providers for employee skill enhancement, or job enrichment, or acquisition of new skills, in relation to new technologies, for example. Here is what she said: One of the most important moves is to create awareness, because what LBS providers do sometimes feel like the best well-kept secret. But there is also an issue with definitions: workforce training is perceived as quite different from workplace training. Some LBS organizations are eager to offer and provide workplace training (training that is actually delivered in an employer’s workplace), others are uncomfortable for a number of reasons.

To achieve workplace training, organizations need to develop customized trainings to answer various onsite employer needs. The development of a new program takes time and resources, and few organizations have spare staff and financial resources. In Ontario, most LBS providers do workforce training which is defined as preparing adult learners with the skills they need to look for work.

Tamara also acknowledges that workplace training is not always well understood by employers. For example, employers may be aware that they have skills development challenges, but they often do not know what to do about these challenges. How such workplace literacy programs are marketed is critical. Many employees will be concerned about disclosing the true extent of their skills challenges out of fear of losing their jobs. It’s easier to admit that you don’t have up-to-date digital skills than deficits in reading, writing or math. For some employees, having to stay even later at work to

Workforce training

participate in literacy or upgrading training makes for a very long workday, even if some of the additional training time is paid for by the employer.

Most employees are juggling more than just work schedules. They have families to take care of, homes to maintain, etc.

Tamara agrees there is a need to raise awareness of what can be provided by LBS programming, but it should not be expected that all LBS programs will be able to address workplace literacy needs. Employers will be most interested in, and employees will most benefit from, training that has been customized to their specific needs. Such customization takes additional time and resources.

Even marketing to employers requires different approaches and language than what many LBS providers possess. "Return on investment" and “the bottom line” are terms that don’t figure significantly in most LBS practitioner’s vocabulary, but they are extremely important to employers and form a critical lens through which employers interpret needs and opportunities. Tamara thinks that it's all about building relationships. As in any field, building mutually beneficial relationships takes time and energy.

And ultimately, that there is an opportunity for government to provide clear directions, along with financing, for workplace literacy. She recalls at least three moves towards workplace education in the past three decades, but no long-term commitment. And she believes it's one of the things that is most needed: consistency in government goals, along with provincial/territorial/ federal partnerships. Because skills upgrading is not only an educational matter, nor just about helping people out of poverty, nor just an economic builder or a route to improved health. Skills upgrading impacts all areas of life. Once everyone tunes into this concept and starts talking the same language (maybe referring to them as Skills for Success), we will be able to make greater strides in addressing critical skills gaps. ■

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Workforce training

INVESTING IN Workforce Development: A FEW EXAMPLES The Public Policy Forum and the Diversity Institute released a series of reports1 in 2020 exploring certain challenges in Canada’s skills ecosystem. One of these reports, titled Return on Investment: Industry Leadership on Upskilling and Reskilling their Workforce, looked at the skills gap and how Canadian and international employers are investing in employee training.

It was written by Wendy Cukier, a professor at Ryerson

University's School of Business Administration and a Canadian expert on disruptive technologies, innovation processes and diversity.

We have selected a number of case studies from this report detailing the efforts of Canadian and international employers to invest in employee training. The following are summaries.

In the technologies sector: AT&T This American company launched its Workforce 2020 (WF2020) program in 2013, after determining that nearly half of its 250,000 employees had skill gaps or that their skills would be inadequate for future technologies. WF2020 aims to upgrade employees' science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills, using online courses in collaboration with Coursera and Udacity, partnerships with leading universities and the creation of a career centre to support learning and plan for the jobs of the future. Each employee has a bank of 10 hours of training per week.

An online portal gives employees access to several tools: › A career profile tool that allows you to assess your skills and work experience and compare them to the requirements of other jobs to identify skills that need to be developed; › Lists of open positions within the company, with their associated skills and the ability to connect to a nearby employee in a similar position. › Analytical data on the growth or decline in demand for certain types of jobs.

Since the program's inception, AT&T has invested $250 million in employee training, including $30 million annually for tuition. The company offered up to $8,000 in annual tuition for various degrees and up to $25,000 per employee for undergraduate education and $30,000 for graduate education. At the end of 2019, 140,000 AT&T employees were taking or had taken training and nearly half of AT&T employees had completed 2.7 million online courses related to data science and management, cybersecurity and Agile project management.

This series, Skills Next, was funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre (CCF), a pan-Canadian organization dedicated to “helping Canadians gain the skills they need to thrive in a changing labour market.” : https://fsc-ccf.ca 1

Workforce training

In the banking and financial sector: Royal Bank of Canada The Royal Bank of Canada has chosen to invest on two fronts: its own employees and young Canadians with no work experience. The RBC announced a program called RBC Future Launch in 2017 with a commitment of $500 million over ten years to help young Canadians better enter the world of work. For its employees, RBC launched the internal Spark! portal to help them explore other jobs. Another digital platform also provides employees with tailored learning experiences and a professional development library. The company also launched RBC Upskill, a free, personalized, interactive tool that allows people to explore hundreds of career options by taking into account interests, skills, education and work history relevant to a particular job.

In the consulting sector: Accenture Between 2016 and 2020, this global consulting firm invested $1 billion in training activities for nearly 65% of its workforce, or 300,000 employees, using its "New Skilling" learning framework, This approach consisted of different phases: › Building awareness of new skills required; › Skills assessment to establish a training pathway; › Job preparation, with several stages of observation, learning, simulations (including virtual reality) and experimentation; › Continued mentoring and monitoring throughout the process.

In the retail sector: Walmart Walmart has embraced the digital shift by investing heavily in its e-commerce infrastructure, which has required developing training and upgrade plans for its employees. In 2018, the company launched an expanded educational initiative, offering employees the opportunity to complete various online degree programs with six different universities in 14 areas of study, including business, technology and supply chain management, for a cost of $1 per day. In 2019, 7,500 employees were enrolled. Also in 2019, Walmart announced a partnership with Penn Foster's healthcare development platform to offer optician or pharmacy technician training on the learning platform to its employees, again at a cost of $1 per day.

According to Wendy Cukier, the lack of empirical data makes it difficult to rigorously evaluate the success and impact of these investments, as most companies do not publicly report the results of their investments in employee development (with the exception of AT&T) and these strategies do not have performance evaluation systems.

She also points out that there is no clear consensus on who is responsible for upskilling and reskilling. Historically, the Canadian government has provided significant funding to the public school system and to post-secondary education, although this support has decreased significantly in recent years. If continuous learning and retraining are seen as essential for employees who wish to participate in the new digital economy, then the financial responsibility for these activities will have to be borne by both governments and the private sector.

Furthermore, as digitization becomes increasingly embedded in economic activities, it will affect the type of skills that employers need, and it will become necessary for Canadian companies to adopt continuous learning cultures to ensure their employees have the appropriate skills.

For access to the full report: https://ppforum.ca/publications/ return-on-investment-industry-leadership-on-upskilling/ ■

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Workforce training

TAMARA'S COMMENTS A durable change in the Corporate Learning Culture?

We asked Tamara if she’s seeing a durable change in the Corporate Learning Culture, as more and more companies seem to be starting to invest in their employees again, to keep them from leaving, by offering them training and career development within the company. Here is what she said:

There is indeed a renewed interest, but I would say it is related to labour COMMENTAIRES DE TAMARA supply and demand: when availability of labour is scarce, then you have

employers paying a lot more attention to skill development. Last year, we did a round of discussions with employers in the London area and some of them said that they used to hire only "semi-skilled" people, but that they now have to recruit "unskilled people" because semi-skilled workers are in very short supply. According to a recent national survey from the Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC)1, 81% of the 501 senior executives from Canadian businesses they asked at the end of last year, found it difficult to find people with the right skill set to fill positions in their company.

Tamara has heard from employers that one of the things that matters the most is demonstrating work ethic. Employers are much more willing to invest in training for employees who show a strong work ethic. She recalls one employer summarizing bluntly: "I will train someone to learn any skill directly related to my business. But I don’t know how to train someone to want to actually come to work." Here again, the CERIC survey shows that the sample of executives asked share the same feeling: 78% say they would hire someone with soft skills and provide training rather than keep searching for someone with the right technical skills. Her understanding is that companies will invest when there's at least a potential long-term commitment. ■

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https://ceric.ca/surveys/career-development-in-the-canadian-workplace-national-business-survey-2021

IMMIGRATION

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IMMIGRATION Entering the Ontario labour market

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IMMIGRATION

Migrating during the Pandemic:

Good Preparation Means Good Integration Aïssatou Sonko is the manager of the Employability and Immigration Program at the Société économique de l’Ontario (SÉO), a non-profit organization (NPO) that celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. The SÉO, formerly RDÉE Ontario, supports economic development, entrepreneurship, employability and immigration for Francophones and bilingual individuals. The organization has three main offices located in Toronto, Sudbury and Ottawa, as well as several regional offices.

With her Ottawa-based team, Ms. Sonko pilots several types of interventions and specialized programs, all with a focus on employability. Their clientele is primarily made up of future, recent or already settled Francophone newcomers, and a small proportion of refugees who have received their official status and are able to communicate in French. Like everywhere else in the world, the pandemic over the past 23 months has complicated her team’s work: first, the number of newcomers dropped abruptly, both because of health and travel restrictions. This drop was most noticeable in 2020, with an almost 46% drop in the number of newcomers in Ontario.1 The situation improved in 2021, and although comprehensive statistical data for last year is not yet available, the number of arrivals by September (84,887 people) had already surpassed the number of arrivals for all of 2020 (82,981 people). 2 This drop can be explained in large part by the fact that many immigration files were put on hold. As of mid-December 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) estima­ ted that there were still 1.8 million files awaiting processing.

A pledge of 85 million dollars in Canadian currency was made to hire more resources in order to process a larger volume of files and to upgrade the immigration system.3 In the meantime, the Employability and Immigration Program team assisting new and future immigrants has noted that many are taking the time to prepare for their arrival and are assessing all of their options prior to departing.

FACILITATING AN INCREASINGLY LENGTHY PROCESS Ms. Sonko explains that for those who have immigrated with their families in the last two years, health restrictions have complicated their arrival on all levels. Pre-departure services, for those who have received permanent residence authorization from IRCC, aim to provide information on administrative procedures, housing, the Canadian labour market, orientation on choosing the right area to settle, etc. The SÉO, on the other hand, strives to provide relevant and complementary information with personalized orientation. It seems that the pandemic has also increased the desire to relocate across provinces and the team has been receiving requests from other Canadian provinces as well, not just from abroad. For each person who comes to the SÉO, an initial one on one consultation is held to develop a detailed plan. Ms. Sonko explains that, at this level, the desires of newcomers can vary. Some want to become professional and will seek a diploma, others need to go back to school or take exams to enter one of the many professional associations that govern the health, education, architectural or engineering occupations, for example. In some cases, immigration can also be an opportunity to pursue a career change.

While the recognition of diplomas and skills is a common obstacle for newcomers, it is mitigated when they arrive well informed and prepared for this step, with the correct documents. While waiting for their departure, those interested can

Office of Economic Policy, March 2021, “Ontario Demographic Quarterly: highlights of fourth quarter 2020,” Ontario Ministry of Finance, Government of Ontario website, consulted on February 11, 2022: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-demographic-quarterly-highlights-fourth-quarter-2020.

2 Office of Economic Policy, March 2021, “Ontario Demographic Quarterly: highlights of third quarter 2020,” Ontario Ministry of Finance, Government of Ontario website, consulted on February 11, 2022: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-demographic-quarterly-highlights-third-quarter?_ga=2.205808531.1204547742.1644679512-386788270.1644679512.

3 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), January 3, 2022, “Modernizing Canada’s immigration system to support economic recovery and improve client experience,” a press release published on the IRCC’s website, consulted on February 11, 2022: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/01/modernizing-canadas-immigrationsystem-to-support-economic-recovery-and-improve-client-experience.html.

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IMMIGRATION participate in employability workshops and training sessions that help them write resumes and bring them up to standard, offer simulated interviews, and provide targeted information on specific areas of work.

With this in mind, the Employability and Immigration Program recommends that future newcomers create a LinkedIn profile if they don’t already have one, and reach out to the community of people with similar profiles in Ontario. They can ask them for advice and learn from their experiences. SÉO also works with employers to support their search for qualified candidates, through networking and job fairs. For some time now, human resources departments have recognized the advantages of hiring Francophone newcomers.

IN SOME CASES, IMMIGRATION CAN ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE A CAREER CHANGE.

FOCUSING ON INNOVATION AND COMPLEMENTARITY Aïssatou Sonko notes that the pandemic has pushed her team to innovate, diversify its themes and increase its online pre­sence. The rapidly changing trends in the Canadian and Ontario labour markets have also made it imperative to be very responsive. For example, the tourism industry is not very active, while job offers related to technology, education and health have increased significantly. At the same time, the regu­ lations for occupations in some of these sectors are changing.

She mentions a pilot project with the Ontario College of Teachers which aims to facilitate the integration of French-speaking teachers from abroad and, in the health field, bridge training to help foreign-trained nurses prepare for the College’s certification exam.4 The SÉO also took advantage of the pandemic to strengthen its partnerships with other service providers in the field: cross referrals with the Point d’accueil francophone in Ottawa, and a visit up North to meet employers, organized with Réseau du Nord, the Association des francophones du Nord-Ouest de l'Ontario and the Centre de santé communautaire du Grand Sudbury. The complementarity of activities and services allows to offer access to all the workshops offered by the Francophone and Anglophone partners who support Francophone commu­ nities. The workshops are wide-ranging and do not focus only on employability: support upon arrival, social and cultural integration, access to health services in French, everything that can create shortcuts and help newcomers settle in northern communities.

the SÉO is working on increasing networking opportunities.

One of the formats she is testing is focused on employers, who are invited to talk about their corporate culture, hiring pro­cesses, and of course, available jobs. Following this presentation, a virtual space is made available to them to meet one-on-one with people who want to apply. These meetings can be much larger online and are now organized nationwide, sometimes in association with other provinces and territories and Canadian embassies.

In November 2021, the SÉO organized an international job fair that received 5,000 virtual visitors from France, Belgium, the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa. This event was a success that will require several months of work to follow up on all these visits. Ms. Sonko would like to have more resources to quickly process all the requests received.

She also notes that shifting to remote activities comes with several inconveniences. It has become difficult to predict attendance to online activities, as participants don’t always show up. On the other hand, these online events reach many more people than if they were held in person. Ms. Sonko remains optimistic for the future because several projects have already had excellent results, particularly in northern communities.

BETTER PROMOTING NORTHERN ONTARIO The idea of improving how Northern Ontario is promoted to newcomers is not new, according to Ms. Sonko, but the SÉO has changed its approach and is focusing on educating poten­ tial employers. A team from the SÉO recently visited eight ridings in Northern Ontario to meet with employers so as to learn about their needs and discuss incentives. A job fair, the first “Foire de l’emploi virtuelle francophone du Grand Sudbury,” was also held at the end of February in the Greater Sudbury area, with approximately 20 employers and almost 220 parti­ cipants. It targeted multiple sectors of activity such as finance, administration, events, transportation, logistics, health, edu­ cation, environment, marketing, construction, mining, etc.

It gave participants the opportunity to make initial contact with Francophone or bilingual employers in the region. Other efforts will be made in the future to promote the attractiveness of northern communities in Ontario, and Ms. Sonko insists on the efforts being made to foster connections between employers and candidates. According to Ms. Sonko, labour market requirements have evolved in recent years and the profiles of Francophones ready to move to Canada are not necessarily well aligned with these requirements. However, given labour shortages in the province and with proper preparation, everyone should have a chance to successfully enter the labour market. ■

The other type of activity that is now being done remotely but still remains popular is networking. Ms. Sonko explains that 4

To learn more about these programs, visit the College of Nurses of Ontario’s website at https://www.cno.org/en/become-a-nurse/approved-nursing-programs.

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RESOURCES 1

The Podcast Learn-Launch – Episode 1: Your Gateway Displaced Workers & Literacy and Basic Skills Programs: Strategies and Resources to Workplace Productivity This first podcast focuses on ways employers can train and develop their existing workforce by using local adult learning centres and working with the LBS networks. Source: Literacy Northwest, March 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnNeXL9nD14

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Apprenticeship / Skilled Trades Resources Guide This document features 50 of the most popular resources available: websites, guides, learning programs, skill inventories, videos and general information to assist those interested in pursuing a career in Apprenticeship or Skilled Trades. Source: Community Literacy of Ontario (CLO), March 2022. https://www.communityliteracyofontario.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/Apprenticeship-Skilled-Trades-ResourcesGuide-March-2021-Final.pdf

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Finding the Way: Building a stronger path between LBS and Manufacturing

Building Bridges for the Future Workforce This document describes some of the complex issues that the LBS programs face in connecting learners facing multiple barriers with local employers. It then looks at practical strategies and best practices being implemented by the LBS programs across Ontario. Source: Community Literacy of Ontario (CLO), March 2021. https://www.communityliteracyofontario.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/CLOs-Building-Bridges-Report-March-2021.pdf

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This document outlines a plan to raise awareness, develop community supports, and build stronger links between the LBS programs and the manufacturing sector. Source: Literacy link south Central and several partners, August 2021. https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/1a9192fe/files/uploaded/Finding%20the%20Way.pdf

This document describes the challenges that a learner interested in apprenticeship might face, and the avenues that can provide support and referral opportunities. Examples are provided of how the LBS programs in Ontario can help an individual overcome these challenges. Source: Literacy Link South Central and Tri-County Literacy Network, March 2019. https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/1a9192fe/files/uploaded/Referral%20Points%20Document%20March%20 2019.pdf

Apprenticeships in Canada: Your cross-country COFA has translated several resources and continues to do so, you can consult the "Fonds de traduction" by clicking on the informational guide This website lists Apprenticeship Resources by province and territory compiled for the CareerWise website. Source: CERIC, February 2022. https://careerwise.ceric.ca/2021/11/18/apprenticeships-in-canada-guide/#.YkxFmijMKUl

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Based on a survey of 53 LBS programs in Ontario, this report provides an overview of the situation of laid-off workers enrolled in LBS programs, and looks at successful strategies, promising practices and useful resources. Source: Community Literacy of Ontario (CLO), February 2021. https://www.communityliteracyofontario.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/Displaced-Workers-Report-Final.pdf

Apprenticeship and the Skilled Trades: Through the Literacy Links to Apprenticeship Lens of the Literacy and Basic Skills This report documents the issues faced by the LBS service providers, colleges and school boards in supporting the pathways of learners who are pursuing, or may pursue, a career in the Skilled Trades. Source: Community Literacy of Ontario (CLO), March 2022. https://www.communityliteracyofontario.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/CLOs-Apprenticeship-and-the-SkilledTrades-Report-March-2022.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2k8XvMMtOiFrhlTKW9VnfvGFyoOtQGx8q5PatbH5XFlcCKFjYOwx6xrYc

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following link: https://www.coalition.ca/bibliotheque/fonds-de-traduction ■

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Funding provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada Job Grant Programs delivered by the Government of Ontario Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ministry.