The Canadian government brings down its budget today and it is expected to include measures to provide badly-needed skills training for certain Canadians.
“We’ve had some very prominent plant closures. We’ve had industry restructuring within the primary resources sector. And we’ve heard a lot of discussion about the future changes that technology might bring which is making many people feel insecure about their medium- and long-term job security,” says Gavin Moodie, adjunct professor in education at the University of Toronto.
Employers worried too
There have also been reports that employers are concerned that their current or future employees may not have the skills to fill future demands.
The layoff of thousands of workers from the closing GM plant in Oshawa, Ontario highlights the need for workers to acquire new skills to help them get other jobs. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press/Nov. 26, 2018)
Most vulnerable workers need skills training
Moodie thinks it is the provinces, already responsible for education, which would be best placed to deliver skills training. He also believes it would be most productive for the government to support skills training for those in the 35 to 55 age group who have many working years ahead of them. “The needs are two-fold; workers whose skills aren’t yet as highly developed as they might be and those who, whatever their skills, are working in economies, in regions which are depending too much on just one source of work.”
What exactly the federal government will provide for skills training will be revealed in the budget to be released later today.
Prof. Gavin Moodie explains the need for skills training for Canadian employees.
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