The Great Disconnect... One Year Later Looking back so we can look forward

By Deanna Zenger (Food Processing Skills Canada)

November 2021, we started a conversation in Block Talk around labour market issues and what initiatives employers and industry can undertake to survive. Since then, we have held many labour market webinars. Employers had access to funded programs and Canada welcomed over 405,000 newcomers. We have reskilled and upskilled jobseekers and employees, and we tracked the data. It has been a busy year!

Being boots on the ground for FPSC allows me to interact with job seekers and employers alike. MPO members, various food industry sectors and non-food employers. I have spoken with many of you. As National Project Manager for FPSC, we rely on professional project evaluations to validate key findings. Throughout our projects, one solution has consistently proven to be the most successful. EDUCATION.

Food Processing Skills Canada (FPSC) Succeeding at Work Project is winding down. We promise to share project evaluations in a future Block Talk as the preliminary results as enlightening. Dedicating your time and effort towards existing employees has led to results above our expectations. How did we achieve this. EDUCATION.

• 70% of employees would be somewhat likely to leave their current job to work for an organization known for investing in employee development and learning.

• 34% of employees who left their previous job were motivated to do so by more career development opportunities.

• 86% of millennials would be kept from leaving their current position if training and development were offered by their employer.

• Over 70% of high-retention-risk employees will leave their YOUR ONE-STOP SOLUTION company in order to advance their career. •

Retention rates rise 30-50% for companies with strong learning cultures.

• 96% of SAW participants recommended the program to family and friends.

Last year Canada welcomed over 405,000 newcomers - the most we’ve ever welcomed in a single year Under its Immigration Levels Plan, Canada is now looking to welcome over 460,000 new immigrants each year, which is the highest levels in Canadian history. Immigration accounts for almost 100% of Canada’s labour force growth, and, by 2032, it’s projected to account for 100% of Canada’s population growth. The Government is continuing that ambition by setting targets in the new levels plan of 465,000 permanent residents in 2023, 485,000 in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025. The plan also brings an increased focus on attracting newcomers to different regions of the country, including small towns and rural communities.

Analysis of FPSC’s program – Succeeding at Work (SAW) CONNECT Jobseeker Stream indicated 90% were New Canadians made up of Landed Immigrants or Permanent Residents 72% and 18% were Non-permanent resident (work/ study permit; refugee claimant). There is tremendous opportunity for employers to attract New Canadians and immigrants to fill workforce needs and to meet production demands. We have a diverse industry with a large immigrant workforce, 31% to be exact, compared to only 23% of the overall labour force in Canada. The highest proportion of immigrants are working in Meat Product Manufacturing (43%).

Employer Concerns

With an increasing immigrant workforce, meat employers’ challenge is ensuring non-English speaking workers fully comprehend their job requirements, safety information, and changes to protocols. This is especially prevalent in Ontario, home to the largest number of sector businesses with 2,530 (35%) and a destination for immigrants and New Canadians.

FPSC’s Labour Market Information survey shows that of the 269 food and beverage manufacturing companies surveyed, the following training tools used in the workplace: On-the-job training (90%), In-house team members who provide training (84%), Manuals/ Handouts/ or Quizzes (58%), and Group talks (53%). On-the-job training in the food industry when working with immigrants and New Canadians with limited or no English falls into the known practice of job-shadowing. Not only is “job-shadowing” inconsistent and inefficient, but it also lacks scalability and is dangerous in terms of food and worker safety. Being shown “what” to do and not explaining the “why” or risks involved leaves immigrant employees in a knowledge vacuum. Many rural Ontario businesses are mono-cultured and employers inexperienced in how to support those with language and cultural needs. Employers need support. How do we achieve this. EDUCATION.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that language barriers contribute to 25% of job-related accidents. Testing scores attributed to food handling behaviour and food safety knowledge were improved dramatically when education and workplace information was provided in the employees’ first language. FPSC has developed 10 essential food and workplace safety courses in 6 Languages. Tagalog, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese. Punjabi is under development and three new languages will be available in 2023. Courses employers asked for: GMP’s, Sanitation & Allergen’s, SOP’s, LOTO, Digital Literacy and more. Courses, resources, and learning supports for employees and employers. EDUCATION is very highly valued in cultural settings and word of mouth attracting employment applications from community members increases.

Education. Training is the HOW…EDUCATION is the WHY. The how will change continuously. The foundation of WHY will always remain. The strength of the food and beverage industry lies within its people. By improving the delivery of skills education, we strengthen systems and efficiency positively impacting employers with increased productivity and capacity. Post training surveys collected valuable data from employers who observed increased skills awareness by project participants. Employers discovered that continuous learning is possible with no loss in production and no downtime as workers participated on their own time.

Frontline workers, facing a very uncertain time with changes happening daily, felt more confident and secure in their jobs because their “employer made these opportunities available to them”.

98% of Succeeding at Work employees used what they learned on the job.

Translated courses delivered in first language and English increased workplace safety, language literacy and has become a beacon for recruitment in a large segment of our new demographic.

Supervisor Development. We live in an industry where most supervisors were promoted for a variety of reasons. Very few received additional education in how to lead a workforce.

Nearly 50% of managers with over ten years of experience claim they’ve only received about nine total hours of training.

Leadership is one of the most in-demand workplace skills. Employees who have received leadership training also have better teamwork skills and are more prepared to progress to higher positions. Not only does training help prepare junior staff for the future, but it also ensures tenured managers are actively working to enhance their leadership skills.

In conclusion, the skills gap in our industry has proven adverse effects on industry productivity, recruitment, employee retention, participation, workplace safety, work-related outcomes – and ultimately, profitability. Education is something ALL employers or any size and income level, can be engaged in. Whether it is new MPO programming, funded programs through FPSC, nearby colleges or creating your own proprietary program. Your support is here.