• If apprentices have basic skills issues, it often doesn’t become evident until after a year. Even then, the Industry Training and Apprenticeship Commission can only encourage upgrading; it doesn’t have a mandate to provide it. It often refers clients to Provincial Rehabilitation Services for assessments of learning problems and/or to the School District for math upgrading and to the college for ABE. Unfortunately, though, they said these are not solutions for everybody – because of shift-work that precludes attending regularly scheduled upgrading classes or because of previous “institutional trauma” that makes clients reluctant to attend – so they see a number of would-be apprentices drop off.

• In several communities, Industry Training and Apprenticeship Commission offices said they do not know where to send those who have basic literacy and/or learning disability needs.

• Representatives of the Industry Training and Apprenticeship Commission mentioned that numeracy is more likely to be a problem than reading and that many apprentices, interestingly, have had negative math experiences in school.

• Apprentices in many trades, particularly carpentry, need to upgrade their math skills. Unfortunately, the curriculum that’s offered is not applied curriculum – and is, some said, less effective for that reason.

The Foundation for All Work-Related Training…

“It’s hard to do any workplace training if the basics aren’t in place … You need that foundation to build on.” – Employer in the Supplemental Business/Labour Telephone Survey

“If you don’t have the basics you just won’t be able to engage in workforce education. You need the foundation first.” – Union Representative in the Supplemental Business/Labour Telephone Survey

“Health and safety issues are a major concern. Having the basic reading skills and comprehension go a long way in gaining high levels of accident prevention.” – Union Representative in the Supplemental Business/Labour Survey

“Literacy is a difficulty for some and it affects the employee/employer relationship. It’s a well hidden problem. We need campaigns to deal with the issue because everyone should be able to read and write and do basic math.” – Union Representative in the Supplemental Business/Labour Telephone Survey

“In our ever-changing global environment, we have to keep workers knowledgeable. Workforce development is critical. We need effective workers.” – Employer in the Supplemental Business/Labour Telephone Survey

“We are a learning organization. Our people are the intellectual capital of the company. They have to think about the job in more than one dimension – because it’s always changing.” – Employer in the Supplemental Business/Labour Telephone Survey

“Work is always changing so people need to adapt by gaining more skills.” – Employer in the Supplemental Business/Labour Telephone Survey