Both employers and union representatives most frequently described the relevance of basic skills and workforce education as being necessary to do the job, to go on to further training, or to meet the minimum requirements of the workplace. Interestingly, though, union representatives were considerably more likely than employers to relate basic skills and workforce education to health and safety issues and to apprenticeship and trades training.

• One community skills center estimated that 50% of the staff at a large plant need literacy upgrading. The plant needs their workers to upgrade their skills because technology is taking the place of menial skills. ESL was also cited as a significant issue.

• One person we met with cited research from the forestry sector showing that 43% of pulp mill workers have low levels of literacy.

• Union representatives reported that the industries they work in are becoming more technical and automated and that the lower end jobs are being eliminated – making the need for literacy and skills upgrading all the more urgent.

• A number of the union representatives we spoke with said there is increasing awareness among members around the need for skills upgrading. With the downturn in the economy, the labour market is highly competitive and that Grade 12 – which is increasingly becoming the hiring requirement – may not be enough to get ahead.

• Several representatives of Community Futures Development Corporations said that if literacy includes “employability skills”, then some 50% of their clients have “literacy” issues.

• In one community, the local Chamber of Commerce surveyed businesses about literacy. In that survey, employers emphasized their need for an adequately trained workforce.

Preventing Entry to Apprenticeship…

“If people don’t have basic skills they cannot succeed in apprenticeships.” – Union Representative in the Supplemental Business/Labour Telephone Survey

“We have apprentices. It’s a highly skilled area, so the basics are expected.” – Employer in the Supplemental Business/Labour Telephone Survey

“Certified journeymen need math and reading skills in order to succeed.” – Union Representative in the Supplemental Business/Labour Telephone Survey

• Throughout the consultation, representatives of the Industry Training and Apprenticeship Commission said they encountered people interested in the trades who had challenges relating to learning disabilities, basic skills, and ESL. One office estimated that 10-15% of their clientele don’t have the basic skills they need – or haven’t used these necessary skills for some time.

• Representatives of the Industry Training and Apprenticeship Commission office also say they are particularly exposed to low literacy issues because the trades are traditionally seen as not having high academic requirements – a myth of its own.