Government of Canada invests in skills development and work experience programming: Canada's Economic Action Plan delivers support for Canadian workers

CALGARY, ALBERTA, March 12, 2010—Canadians with low literacy will benefit from federal funding for projects that will help them develop the skills needed to participate in the job market. Mr. Lee Richardson, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

“Our government is working in partnership to provide programming that will improve Canadians’ employability skills, knowledge and work experience, so they can get jobs and build better futures,” said Mr. Richardson. “Our Economic Action Plan is supporting Bow Valley College in its efforts to help Canadians develop the skills they need to succeed.”

Bow Valley College will receive over $1.6 million for three projects through the Career Focus program and the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills.

“We’re delighted to work with the federal government on these three exciting initiatives,” said Ms. Sharon Carry, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bow Valley College. “Diverse communities of learners across the country will benefit from our strengths in essential skills, applied research and employment assistance services.”

In today’s environment, it is more important than ever that all youth develop the skills they need to participate and succeed in the job market. The Career Focus project, Connections to the Workplace, will enable Bow Valley College to help post-secondary graduates enhance and develop their employment skills.

Two additional projects are being funded through the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills . The first will provide a clearer picture of literacy rates of Aboriginal adults in Canada, so that literacy and essentials skills programming can better meet the needs of its participants, the workplace and the community. The second project will develop an assessment and diagnostic tool to help literacy instructors improve their teaching effectiveness and place learners in programs that best suit their needs .

Improving Canadians’ literacy and essential skills and providing them with valuable work experience that will help them succeed in the labour market are key elements of the Government’s commitment to creating the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world.

Our government underscored this commitment in Canada’s Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. Budget 2010 provides further investments to support young people looking to gain skills and experience, including an additional $30 million for the Career Focus component of the Youth Employment Strategy.

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This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

For further information (media only):

Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482

Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559

Backgrounder

About the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills

The Government of Canada created the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills as a centre of expertise to help increase the literacy and essential skills of adult Canadians.

While Canada currently faces economic uncertainty, skills shortages remain a significant challenge. With a budget of $36 million in 2009–20 10, the Government of Canada— through the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills— is investing to ensure that Canadians have the literacy and essential skills they need to participate fully in the labour market and in their communities.

About the Career Focus program

As part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy, the Career Focus program is one of three programs that help young Canadians, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop skills, gain work experience, find good jobs and stay employed. The other two programs are Summer Work Experience and Skills Link.

Career Focus links highly skilled, post-secondary youth with potential employers who can provide them with career-related work experience and help them acquire advanced employment skills to facilitate their transition into the rapidly changing labour market.

About the organization

With more than 11,000 full- and part-time students, Bow Valley College is a leader in health and business career training, academic upgrading programs for adults, and English as a s econd l anguage education. The College provides a wide range of services for businesses and professionals, including the Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES), workplace training for immigrants and employment services .