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August 3, 2009

Province Gearing Up to Enhance Labour Market

A new Labour Market Agreement (LMA) and new Strategic Training and Transition Fund (STTF) will help ensure individuals throughout Newfoundland and Labrador have access to the employment and training supports they need.

These new initiatives will help expand and enhance the current suite of provincial labour market programs to provide supports for unemployed, non-EI eligible persons; employed, lower-skilled workers; as well as workers who are being impacted by the current economic downturn. Over 2,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will benefit from these initiatives this year alone. These programs are being funded through a $17.8 million investment in 2009 by the Government of Canada.

�While Newfoundland and Labrador has not experienced the level of job losses that has affected many other provinces, the global economic downturn has nevertheless had a serious impact on a number of our industries,� noted the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. �Through LMA and STTF funding, the Provincial Government will be able to increase the level of employment and training supports available to assist people to quickly transition to new jobs or occupations. This will help many individuals remain active participants in the provincial labour market despite the present state of the global economy, and will also help us prepare for the increased demand for skilled workers that we expect in the near future.�

The new programs and services, which will be launched late summer and early fall, will benefit individuals, employers and communities throughout the province. They include investments to expand employment development supports for individuals � in particular, new apprentices, persons with disabilities, immigrants, and other vulnerable groups in the labour market.

These new funds will also support increased access to strategic training and skills development supports. Funding will be available to individuals, including displaced workers, to assist them with their training costs so they can participate in an expanded suite of short to medium-term training programs at College of the North Atlantic and the Marine Institute.

�These strategic training and skills development courses will be key to helping many people access better employment opportunities soon after experiencing a layoff,� said the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education. �I am very pleased that we now have additional financial resources to expand our training capacity, and I look forward to seeing more people benefit from these programs in the coming months.�

Employers will also benefit from these new investments. For example, a new program will introduce workplace-directed supports to help small to medium-sized employers address the skills development needs of their employees while helping them to grow employment opportunities.

�This will represent considerable new investment in staff training and development for small- and medium-sized enterprises,� said the Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. �Employers understand the critical need to support staff development, especially among those with relatively lower skill levels, at a time when the global economy is demanding greater competitiveness. Combined with our existing suite of business supports this will help advance the expansion plans of many small- and medium-sized enterprises.�

New programs funded by LMA and STTF investments will benefit over 2,000 individuals within the province in this year alone.

�We are very pleased to finally be in a position to better address these long-standing needs,� added Minister Sullivan. �This funding will help close key gaps in labour market supports and services.�

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Media contacts:

Jennifer Collingwood
Director of Communications
Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment
709-729-0753, 690-2498
jennifercollingwood@gov.nl.ca

Scott Barfoot
Director of Communications
Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
709-729-4570, 690-6290
scottbarfoot@gov.nl.ca

Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER
2009-10 Labour Market Initiatives

The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Agreement (LMA), first announced in September 2008, is providing more than $46 million in federal funds over six years into the province�s labour market. This funding is intended to help address gaps in the current system for people not able to access training and employment supports through EI or Income Support services.

Additionally, the recent federal budget included funding to assist those affected by the current economic downturn. Through the Strategic Training and Transition Fund (STTF), $14.4 million has been added to the LMA over the next two years to respond to those needs.

Together, these investments will be directed towards the following areas:

2009-10 Investments: $17.8 million
Priority Area: Increasing Participation and Labour Force Attachment
Strategic Training and Skills Development:
Investments will support College of the North Atlantic and the Marine Institute in expanding course offerings throughout the province for short-term training programs specifically targeted to respond to existing program waitlists, high demand occupations and strategic growth sectors of the economy. Funding will increase access to training opportunities for unemployed and employed individuals who have been negatively impacted by the current economic downturn and help ensure they have maximum opportunity to transition to jobs in new occupations and industries. Participants in these training programs may be eligible to receive financial supports towards tuition and other related training expenses.
Targeted Wage Subsidy for Persons with Disabilities
Through the Public Service Secretariat, investments will support expanding the provincial targeted wage subsidy program for individuals with disabilities to provide work experience opportunities to those who are unemployed and non-EI eligible.
Targeted Supports for Apprentices
The Departments of Education and Human Resources, Labour and Employment will expand supports and services for apprentices and skilled trades workers.

The Graduate Employment Program (GEP) will be expanded to allow for additional placements to assist unemployed, non-EI eligible new apprenticeship graduates, particularly women, gain the work experience they need to move toward journey person certification.

Supports will also be introduced under a new Journey Person Certification Program (JPC) to assist individuals who are working in skilled trades occupations acquire the training and occupational certification they need to continue employment or qualify as a certified journey person. Participants in this program may be eligible to receive supports towards tuition and other related training expenses.
Supports for Adult Workplace Literacy and Essential Skills Training
The Department of Education will increase access to adult basic education, essential skills development and training opportunities among unemployed, non-EI eligible individuals and employed workers with low literacy skills. This will include up to $2000 towards training related expenses for individuals participating in Adult Basic Education Level I programs and an increase in the number of scholarships, valued at $2000, for graduates of Adult Basic Education programs towards further post-secondary training.

The Department of Education will also be investing in training to support ABE instructors in assessing individuals with learning disabilities.

Expansion of Employment Development Supports and Services
The Departments of Education and Human Resources, Labour and Employment will expand and enhance access to employment development and training programs to provide unemployed, non-EI eligible individuals and low-skilled workers with a range of supports to assist them prepare for, find and maintain employment, including a new workplace essential skills program. The initiative will also support the College of the North Atlantic in expanding its employment outreach programs. Participants in training programs may be eligible to receive support towards tuition and other related training expenses.
Increased Supports for Labour Market Integration of Immigrants

The Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment will enhance and expand access to labour market integration supports and services for immigrants including:

  • Expanding settlement and integration services to the Central and Labrador regions to coordinate access to services for newcomers and their family members;
  • Providing culturally sensitive labour market information to increase awareness of workforce/workplace diversity and the benefits of hiring new international graduates while supporting employers in recruiting and retaining immigrant workers; and
  • Supporting the Association for New Canadians in piloting innovative bridging supports designed to assist work-ready immigrants to gain Canadian work experience and demonstrate their skills and competencies to potential employers.
Priority Area: Enhancing Recruitment, Retention and Development
Supports for Workplace-Directed Skills Development and Training
The Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development is developing workforce supports and services through workplace-directed initiatives for small- and medium-sized employers and their employees. These supports will assist employers, especially those in key growth sectors of the economy, to implement the human resource strategies required to attract and retain new employees and strengthen skills development among existing employees to help them compete and grow.

The new supports and services will complement the department�s comprehensive suite of business development programs and strengthen business retention and expansion efforts to support local employers in maintaining and growing employment opportunities, improving productivity and competitiveness, and ultimately contributing to a positive local business climate.
Recruitment and Retention Toolkit
The Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment will implement a suite of integrated recruitment and retention supports and services for small and medium-sized employers, including an online toolkit of information resources and applications. The toolkit will provide province-wide reach to all employers (especially in rural areas) with web-based access to current information and expertise, as well as local and regional resources to assist employers with finding, keeping and developing the workers they need.
Development of a Workplace-based Assessment / Training Model
The Provincial Government will be working with partners in business and labour to identify and assess requirements for consistent, comprehensive approaches to workplace-directed skills assessment and training to help direct future investments in this area. This work will also include development of a web-based workplace essential skills assessment tool that can be utilized by training instructors, employment delivery professionals and educational institutions in the delivery of labour market and training supports and services.
Priority Area: Strengthening Human Resource Development and Planning Capacity
Community Employment Partnerships
The Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, will support community agencies in implementing pilot initiatives and community-based employment projects to support unemployed, non-EI eligible workers -- particularly in regions experiencing effects of the economic downturn. Types of initiatives eligible for funding include: targeted initiatives for older workers, business/labour partnership projects, and community directed projects targeting persons with barriers to employment
Transition Supports and Services
The Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment will support departments and partners, including business, labour and communities, in implementing rapid and flexible responses to downward industry adjustments, such as those occurring in the forestry industry (for example, labour facilitated peer support groups for displaced employees and their families; and community-based service advocates to help impacted workers access available benefits).

2009 08 03                               3:25 p.m.


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