National Adult Literacy Database

Organizations that focus on developing healthy workplaces enjoy tangible benefits. These take the form of increased productivity, higher staff engagement, lower absenteeism, lower benefits claims costs, lower turnover, and greater resilience. Returns on healthy workplace investments reported by large private-sector organizations can range from $1.81 to $6.15 for every $1 invested.

High school students in every region of Nova Scotia now have access to a challenging program that helps prepare them for good jobs and citizenship.

ABC Life Literacy Canada is delighted to announce the 2012 Life Literacy Award winners in recognition of outstanding achievement in adult literacy and essential skills through community literacy, workplace education, journalism and corporate excellence.

Business leaders recognize that investment in people has a direct impact on the bottom line. Raising awareness of this relationship is the goal of Learn@Work Week, an initiative of the Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD). This year, CSTD recognizes 16 senior business leaders who understand this relationship and are active advocates of learning in the workplace.

"Literacy is a ladder out of poverty, but the real issue is poverty. Some of our former learners said it seemed as if they were caught in a never-ending cycle. You need school to get a job, but some people can’t afford to come to school. They’re hungry, they can’t concentrate or they have an upset stomach. It’s basically do or die. It’s like you’re thrown into a well with no rope to pull you up."

"Literacy, if we need to be reminded, is the great enabler that allows individuals to unlock their potential. It’s the basic skill set on which most other capabilities are built. As we celebrate International Literacy Day (proclaimed by UNESCO in 1965) this Saturday, we should also remember that literacy is a fundamental human right."

A new publication in the NALD Library could serve as a wakeup call for Canadians interested in or concerned about the future of the workforce. A follow-up to People without Jobs, Jobs without People (2010), Dr. Rick Miner’s latest work is entitled Jobs of the Future: Options and Opportunities (2012).

“The new Sectoral Initiatives Program will gather critical labour market information and make it available through the Working in Canada online portal, helping to ensure Canadians are more aware of the skills that are needed for the jobs that are in demand.” – Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Grass Roots Press has an international reputation for publishing high-quality resources for adult basic education and English as a Second Language communities. The company carries over 500 books, DVDs, and software packages and it publishes assessment tools, workbooks, photo stories, biographies, and literature -- publications that enhance adults' literacy skills.

A new online tool connecting skilled workers, employers, post-secondary institutions and government is tackling fears of a looming labour crisis that is expected to produce up to 500,000 vacant jobs across the country over the next decade.

We invite you to send us information about events you may be hosting in your community or projects you may be working on to mark the occasion on or around September 8, 2012.

Employment growth in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is expected to strengthen rapidly through 2016, with the addition of about 12,000 new jobs as shipbuilding activity ramps up, according to a new report

Social finance is an approach to investment or managing money that aims to deliver social and/or environmental benefits. Social finance models are being widely explored as potential new sources of funding to address social/environmental issues. Since these investments must produce both a social and a financial return, proponents assume that social finance approaches are more likely to generate innovative practices and better performance by funding recipients.

"The financial support from the Government of Canada is paramount in promoting Aboriginal women into positions of authority and decision making," said Cheryl Maloney, president of the Nova Scotia Native Women's Association. "Often barriers prohibit Aboriginal women from getting positions within their fields of expertise, or opportunities are not fully explored."

One organization that has been promoting literacy and learning among its members, for over a decade, is the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). CUPE released a new video earlier this year titled ‘Why is CUPE involved with literacy work?’