It is no secret that effective training and investments in workforce development can be a key driver in sustaining an organization's competitive advantage and encouraging greater productivity.

Despite its value, employers across Canada have traditionally made low levels of investment in workforce training, with less than three out of 10 workers ever receiving training. This trend has a negative impact on productivity, competitiveness, and business retention and expansion.

To help bridge this gap the Provincial Government, in collaboration with industry and labour organizations, community groups, and the business community, launched its Workplace Skills Enhancement Program. It is a program that helps address labour market conditions and provide support tools for local businesses as they explore avenues to maximize productivity, improve workforce training options, and attract new employees.

Companies and organization have found the new program beneficial for staffing hard to fill positions, as well as increasing the skills of employees through professional development exercises. In addition to the almost 30 companies that have availed of the new program since its recent launch, industry associations are using it to coordinate industry-wide training initiatives.

The Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association, for example, recently held training seminars for its member companies and their combined staff of 110 in Green Bay and the Coast of Bays. The seminars included such topics as marine maintenance, emergency first aid, and other related training which contributes to their Technical Certificate in Agriculture from the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University.

St. Alban's-based Newfoundland Aqua Services is also hosting a series of training sessions for its 41 employees with a contribution of $79,000 under the Workplace Skills Enhancement Program. Additionally, Breakwater Books has received a wage subsidy totaling $20,000 to engage a digital publishing expert to service the rising demand for digital books and reach a wider international market.

In today's knowledge-driven economy, success is contingent on innovation, which in turn, depends on highly-skilled people. It is people who will drive the economy in the future as their knowledge, skills, and creativity lead to greater innovation.

As a government, we are going to continue to introduce initiatives like the Workplace Skills Enhancement Program. By investing in Newfoundlanders and Labradorians we are advancing our objective of providing new employment and business opportunities in communities across the province. We will continue to invest in infrastructure and programming that help create business and academic opportunities for people in all regions of the province.