This study documents the motivations of workplaces for starting basic skills programs and the impacts of the programs in the workplace. The motivations are clear and the impacts are clear. Certainly, once presented with these facts, Canadian workplaces will be lining up to start programs. If it were that easy, this study would not have even been needed. Numerous barriers exist to workplaces starting programs.

In order to broaden our understanding, respondents were asked to elaborate on what the earlier barriers were within their own workplaces, and to speculate about why more workplaces do not have programs. Figure 24 collapses the (narrative) responses to the two questions to arrive at a composite picture of barriers to workplaces starting programs. The actual percentages in Figure 24 are less important than the overall themes and patterns they reflect. All of these categories, and the assumptions underneath them, should be anticipated by the field in its outreach efforts.

In order of frequency of mention, the barriers to starting workplace basic skills programs include: perceived cost (56%);

"Employers try to cut costs by going straight to specialized training."
Gino Trudel, General Manager, Industries Norbord, La Sarre Abitibi West, PQ.

...lack of awareness of the need for a program (48%);

"People who are already highly educated make assumptions. ... they just don't notice."
Bill Stephaniuk, Employee Relations Manager, MacMillan Bloedel, New Westminister, BC.

...literacy needs being hidden by employees (30%);(7)

"Employees were hiding the problem ... there were fears about job security ... [ they wondered] if it be held against me ?"
Doug Ellis, Purchasing Manager and Program Tutor, Seaman's Beverages, Charlottetown, PEI.