National Adult Literacy Database

In every part of the country there is a story waiting to be told about how Canadians can benefit from employment programs and initiatives. These success stories are about Canadians who are making better choices to lead productive and rewarding lives in their family life, at work and in their communities.

"Why is having pride so important in the skilled trades? Because it pushes people to do better — and these are definitely industries where you want people to do their best. People who are proud of their work will put in the extra hours to learn a new technique. They’ll talk to colleagues about what works and what doesn’t." — Mike Holmes

Union Gas has presented $80,000 to Skills Canada - Ontario to fund a program that encourages thousands of Aboriginal youth to pursue career opportunities in the skilled trades and technology sectors.

CUPE has been active in literacy work for over a decade. A right for all, literacy helps workers succeed on the job and in life, and it can be a critical foundation for further training and education.

Canada’s economy was near full employment before the 2008-09 recession. Although Canada has recovered all the jobs lost during the recession, it will take another four years to bring the unemployment rate back down to about six per cent.

Having two careers at once is an ambitious proposition and yet not that unusual these days. For some people, a second career may be about creating an additional income stream. For others, it’s about a passion.

“Volunteers are fundamental to the health of our communities nationwide because they support us and everything we do,” said Ruth MacKenzie, President and CEO of Volunteer Canada. “Recognizing Canada’s 13.3 million volunteers effectively inspires them to stay engaged and involved.”

The overlap between work and private time in Canada is substantial, according to a new report. A total of 46 per cent handle private matters during working hours, 51 per cent handle work-related matters in private time, and 44 per cent receive work-related calls or e-mails when on holiday.

Following four months of little change, employment increased by 82,000 in March, mostly in full-time work. This brought the unemployment rate down 0.2 percentage points to 7.2 per cent.

The Essential Skills in the Gaming Industry website contains a wealth of information about the industry itself and responsible gaming. It also features a new series of documents to assist individuals with their skill levels beyond the core competencies required for employment positions. The series is also available in the NALD library.

The unemployment rate for persons with disabilities is five times higher than any other demographic in the province of Ontario. Statistics Canada identifies that over half of all working age people with disabilities are currently unemployed.

“As the Canadian labour market tightens and the natural resources sectors expand, we have a unique opportunity for an educated, skilled Aboriginal population to become full participants in a robust Canadian economy,” said John Duncan, federal Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, in Calgary recently.

Experts say there is already a shortage of 50,000 skilled trade workers in Canada — and this number is expected to rise significantly in the coming decades. The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities estimates the need for a million new skilled trade workers by 2020.

Dr. Philip Hunter, a director in PwC's People and Change practice, believes that Gen Xers are perhaps being "squeezed" by older workers delaying retirement, and younger, more aggressive Gen Ys intent on rising through the ranks quickly.

This webinar hopes to bring together a wide variety of stakeholders to discuss the importance of essential skills for immigrants in today's knowledge-based economy, to exchange valuable information and to showcase innovative approaches on how to support the development of immigrants' essential skills.