January 11, 2012
Creating Employer Success Through Employee Skills Training
PRINCE GEORGE – Over 450 employees province-wide will gain the essential skills they need to succeed while increasing productivity for employers through a $1.5 million investment in essential skills training. The funding includes:
$68,709 - Delivered by the Prince George Nechako Aboriginal Employment Training Association, this project will provide essential skills training for individuals identified through the Central Interior Logging Association, focusing on approximately 20 employees assigned to light duties.
Why this matters:
SkillsPlus is designed to integrate essential skills training into the normal work environment, increasing the capabilities, productivity and success of British Columbians within their current jobs and creating new opportunities for them within the labour market.
- Benefits of SkillsPlus have included improved customer service skills, increased confidence in ability to master new skills and improvements in computer literacy and understanding of written instructions.
Quotes:
“Training like this has the ability to help people get life changing new careers. The benefits of more training and expertise will help many employers throughout our region.”
-Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad
“This funding will go a long way towards ensuring we develop a diverse and skilled workforce while continuing our job creation strategies. You can see those steps being taken with programs like this that are helping people take the next step in their career.”
-Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Pat Bell
"It is good to see that Northern workers will benefit from this investment. This program will provide appropriate skills training for employees who are working at light duty jobs with the added goal of improving productivity for employers as well"
-Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond
Additional information:
Essential skills are identified as reading text, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communication, working with others, continuous learning, thinking skills and computer use.
- Investment in these training projects is in addition to the approximately $4 million that has been allocated to SkillsPlus since the program’s inception in April 2009. Since this time, approximately 900 employees across the province have received essential skills training through SkillsPlus, spanning the following sectors: tourism and hospitality; retail, wholesale and grocery; health services; construction; social housing; security; manufacturing; forestry; and mining.
- Eligible organizations include small-to-medium sized employers with 500 or fewer employees. SkillsPlus is funded through the Canada – British Columbia Labour Market Agreement.
Learn More:
To learn more about Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan, visit: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/
To learn more about the SkillsPlus program, visit: http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/skillsplus/
To learn more about the Canada – British Columbia Labour Market Agreement, visit: http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/labourmarketagreement/
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