Education
February 19, 2008
Appointments Made to Industry
Coordinating Committee
To ensure the successful implementation of the Skills
Task Force report, All the Skills to Succeed, the Provincial
Government has established an Industry Co-ordinating Committee (ICC).
Eleven individuals have been appointed representing business, labour,
industry, education, the Provincial Government and non-governmental
agencies.
"The ICC is charged with building on the work of the
Skills Task Force," said the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of
Education. "This province is looking at the development of major
projects such as Hebron and the Lower Churchill which will require
thousands of skilled workers. In fact, projected employment at the peak
of these projects will reach 9,000. We are making a tremendous
commitment, through substantial investments, to make sure the people of
our province can access relevant training and take full advantage of the
opportunities ahead. The ICC will be an important element of this
effort."
The Skills Task Force was established in March 2006
with a mandate to identify needs in the workforce, look at the ability
to meet those needs, and identify what must be done to fill current and
anticipated shortages in skilled labour. All the Skills to Succeed,
released in May 2007, included 50 recommendations for government,
business, industry, labour, and education. The report stressed the need
for a co-ordinated response to labour market needs.
The Provincial Government has been investing heavily
in recent years to address challenges associated with the skilled trades
sector. Over the past two years alone, the Williams Government has
allocated $43.6 million in the areas of apprenticeship, science and
technology, programming, training and infrastructure. The funding has
also contributed to the implementation of some recommendations of the
Skills Task Force report, such as increasing the number of apprentices
hired across government and increasing the number of females entering
the skilled trades.
"Each member of the Industry Co-ordinating Committee
was also a member of the task force. They have an in-depth knowledge of
what the task force heard, and what was recommended," said Minister
Burke. "As such, they will be better able to co-ordinate an action plan
and follow through with implementation. They will also explore
additional measures to make sure we are not overlooking any opportunity
to effectively build our labour market. I appreciate the work each of
them has already done, and thank them for agreeing to continue to
oversee this important task."
The following individuals have been appointed to the
ICC:
Provincial Government
Bob Ridgley - MHA, St.
John�s North, chair of the ICC
Rachelle Cochrane -
Department of Education
Business
Bob Marshall � Vale Inco,
Newfoundland and Labrador Ltd.
Heather Bruce-Veitch -
Iron Ore Company of Canada
Labour
Gus Doyle - United
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners
Margie Hancock - Public
Service Alliance of Canada
Post-secondary Institutions
Corrine Dunne - College of
the North Atlantic
Kay LeMessurier -
CompuCollege
Non-Governmental Agencies
Deborah Armstrong -
Regional Council, Rural Secretariat
Anne Marie Anonsen � Women
in Resource Development Committee
Student Representation
Katherine Giroux-Bougard -
Canadian Federation of Students
"As chair of the Industry Coordinating Committee, I
look forward to building on the great work of the Skills Task Force,"
said Bob Ridgley, ICC chair. "I am especially pleased to see that
the report has not simply been put on a shelf, but that the Provincial
Government is moving forward with implementation and action."
Significant progress is being made to ensure
educational institutions are offering relevant programming that is
responsive to industry needs. The Futures in Skilled Trades and
Technology program for high schools, new programs, increased
capacity and a shop modernization initiative at College of the North
Atlantic, and the creation of the School of Ocean Technology at the
Marine Institute are just some specific examples of how the education
system is growing to reflect the needs of the labour market.
"To effectively continue to expand will require a full
partnership between business, labour, industry and education," said
Minister Burke. "The ICC will bring these groups together with the
ultimate goal of strengthening our labour market. We know that
Newfoundland and Labrador is a place where people want to live and work
and we will continue to work tirelessly to create real jobs and real
opportunities for a sustained economy in the years to come".
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Media contact:
Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca
2008 02 19
9:55 a.m.