Productive and Profitable: Promoting Workplace Literacy and Socially Responsible Marketing

The Honourable James Bartleman, Ontario ’s Lieutenant Governor and the Honourable Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities spoke at this event on April 12th. The lunch and learn was a partnership between The Toronto Training Board, the Social Purchasing Portal and the Social Purpose Enterprise Network to promote workplace literacy and socially responsible businesses. Over 100 people heard the Lieutenant Governor and the Minister speak in support of literacy and learning programs as well as social enterprise products and services.

“Skills for Energy Efficient Construction” Report

The report was launched on April 4th at Metro Hall. A panel of experts that included TTB Board Member Shane McCarthy commented on the importance and timeliness of the research.

Labour Market News

Training Needed In New Energy Technologies. GTA Labour Force Requires More Training: Report

Daily Commercial News And Construction Record
Peter Kenter
April 16, 2007

A new report praises the efforts of the construction industry to reduce energy consumption, but questions whether Toronto’s labour force has the necessary skills to fully embrace energy-efficient construction techniques and maintain energy-efficient buildings after they’re built. The report “Skills for Energy Efficient Construction” was prepared by The Clean Air Partnership (CAP), the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) and the Toronto Training Board. The report notes that new practices and technologies designed to reduce energy consumption require new skill sets and increased training geared to architects, engineers, developers, contractors and others.

Workers With Home Commitments Get Fewer Opportunities

National Union of Public Employees
April 12, 2007

Workers whose family commitments impact on their work get fewer chances to advance and have poorer relationships with bosses, says a study conducted by researchers at three Ontario universities. Based on 381 responses by public sector employees, the findings suggest that employees coping with family demands such as rearing children, elderly parents, difficult teenagers and financial difficulties don't get as many opportunities to move ahead in their careers. A decline in work performance related to such pressures makes bosses less likely to provide opportunities. This can result in a "downward spiral" for employees.

Immigrants

Hotel Staff Need Help: Study
Majority Of Lowest Earners In Sector Are Immigrants, Women, Visible Minorities With Little Chance Of Job Advancement

Toronto Star
Nicholas Keung
April 16, 2007

According to a report released by the union-led Task Force on the Toronto Hotel Industry, of the 30,000 people who work in Greater Toronto hotels, 70 per cent are immigrants.
To a large degree, poverty in the industry is segmented along race and gender lines. Among its lowest earners, room attendants and laundry workers, 93 per cent are immigrants; 82 per cent are visible minorities; and 80 per cent are women.
Cost-driven competition has helped eliminate many full-time jobs in favour of part-time, casual and subcontracted work; has decreased real wages and benefits; and has cut training budgets.
The task force wants employers, unions and governments to work toward a "high road economic vision" – investing in this workforce to improve competitiveness through better service instead of merely looking to cut costs.

YMCA Of GTA Makes A "PACT" With Youth In Conflict With The Law

CCN Matthews
April 11, 2007

Cooking, Film and Magic Lifeskills Programs find home in downtown Toronto thanks to a strategic partnership between YMCA and PACT Youth Crime Program.
The award-winning PACT Youth Crime Reduction Program, a charity that deals with youth crime in the GTA, is thrilled to announce that the YMCA of Greater Toronto is supporting the launch of three life skills programs for downtown Toronto youth in conflict with the law.
PACT launched its inaugural Film School at the YMCA's Charles Street office in March 2007. The PACT Main Course Cooking School began in mid-April with the help of the innovative YMCA Food Services Training Program (also at the Charles Location) and will be followed-up with the launch of a new Magic program in May.
The YMCA is continuing its tradition of remarkable community leadership with its selfless commitment to providing space, support and expertise to this trio of Lifeskills programs.

Women Capture The Lion's Share Of March Growth

Women aged 25 and over captured most of the employment increases in March (+39,000). Steady employment growth has led to a series of record employment rates for adult women, reaching a new high of 59.0% in March. Over the past twelve months, employment growth for adult women (+3.8%) was more than double that of adult men (+1.7%). Employment growth among youths remained more modest at 1.2%.
Canada's labour force participation rate, the proportion of the working-age population that has a job or is looking for one, has jumped 0.6 percentage points since October 2006, reaching 67.7% in March. This strong increase is primarily the result of more women participating in the labour force.

Education

Rotman School Launches New Master Of Finance Program

University of Toronto
Ken McGuffin
April 18, 2007

A new graduate degree for finance professionals has been successfully launched by the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.
The establishment of the program has been warmly received by the finance industry in Toronto. The program fulfils a need for specialized financial training that is not currently being provided in Toronto. Similar programs have been offered for years by universities in most of the world’s financial centres such as London and New York. Recent published studies have expressed concerns about a forthcoming talent shortage in Toronto’s finance industry.

Students Give Schools Low Marks On IT

IT Business.ca
Briony Smith
April 26, 2007

Microsoft Canada released a survey earlier this month that said many students feel their schools are not developing their technological skills properly. A roundtable discussion inspired by the research and held in Toronto looked at another danger - a lack of soft skills in and proper workforce preparation for future IT professionals. The survey was conducted online with students from Grade 11 through second-year university. It found that while 92 per cent of all students said that it is somewhat to very important to have technological experience to be successful in their careers, only 42 per cent of the responders said that their school encouraged them to develop computer and technological skills.

Other News

Got the Experience To Find A Job This Summer?

Canada News Wire
April 2, 2007

Over half of Canadian students avoid applying for summer jobs because they don't think they have the appropriate work experience, according to a new workopolisCampus.com survey released recently
Finding that perfect candidate to fill a summer job position has become increasingly difficult for employers in part to a misunderstanding between businesses and students over what qualifies as work experience. Over half (55 per cent) of college and university students reported they had avoided applying for jobs due to their perceived lack of appropriate work experience. The results of this study show that students and recent grads looking for summer jobs have additional pressures - recognizing what qualifies as work experience and understanding what they can bring to the table for a summer job opportunity.

Gearing Up To Drive HR Competitiveness

Canada News Wire
April 17, 2007

The Council for Automotive Human Resources (CAHR) is now executing its Sector Study of Canadian Automotive and Vehicle Manufacturing. This Sector Study is in response to the conclusions of its earlier 2004 report entitled: Situational Analysis: Human Resources in the Canadian Automotive Manufacturing Industry. That report identified a lack of reliable, current and pertinent human resource and labour market information and the critical need for more in-depth, evidence-based data and analysis across the sector.
In response, CAHR will examine the current state of the industry and forecast future trends through a comprehensive study of the Canadian automotive and vehicle- manufacturing sector.

Average Canadian Family Spends More On Taxes Than Necessities Of Life: Survey

Yahoo.ca
April 16, 2007

Taxes are taking a bigger chunk out of the average Canadian family income than food, clothing and housing combined, a new survey suggests. The Fraser Institute says the Canadian Consumer Tax Index is up significantly in the past 45 years. The average Canadian family earned $63,000 in 2006, with nearly 45 per cent of that going to taxes. Just over 35 per cent was spent on food, clothing and housing. In 1961, the institute says just 33.5 per cent of income went to taxes.
The tax index includes direct taxation, such as income taxes, sales taxes, Employment Insurance and Canadian Pension Plan contributions, as well as hidden taxes.

VOLUME 4, Issue 1&2
April 2007

Why Isn't Ontario, Canada, Facing A Skilled Labour Shortage? Province Extends Proven Initiatives To Nurture The Manufacturing Workforce

IndustryWeek.com
Honourable Sandra Pupatello, Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade
April 4, 2007

 "Look to Ontario" is a three-part series describing Ontario, Canada's recent efforts to build upon the province's competitive advantages as a manufacturing center, including its highly skilled and educated workforce; attractive investment climate and central location; and reputation for high-quality production and innovation. This is Part I.

While U.S.-based manufacturers decry the coming skills shortage in their nation, their neighbour to the north, Ontario, Canada, is working to strengthen its already formidable advanced manufacturing workforce. New government programs launched in the past year boost access to higher education, invest in research facilities, and expand apprenticeship programs -- three elements that are vital to manufacturers' success.

Pathways for Youth to the Labour Market: An Overview of High School Initiatives

Canadian Policy Research Network
Alison Taylor

A new report from CPRN has found that governments could be doing much more to help young people get on the right path to a good job.  The report, Pathways for Youth to the Labour Market:  An Overview of High School Initiatives, looks at programs and policies that help or hinder young people in finding rewarding work.  Four provinces were studied:  British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador. 

Expansive Learning Through High School Apprenticeship: Opportunities And Limits

Journal of Education and Work
Vol. 20, No. 1, February 2007
Alison Taylor and Bonnie Watt-Malcolm

This paper examines a high school apprenticeship program with a focus on the opportunities for ‘expansive’ learning within three different contexts: schools, the training centre and worksites. The authors assume that while young people differ in the degree to which they engage in learning within different sites, the institutional arrangements and features of different learning environments significantly influence their experiences and the quality of their apprenticeships.

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