The need to raise the skills of those at the low-skilled end of the workforce often only becomes evident when there is workplace change, new technologies and work systems, demand for enhanced quality, and concern about productivity and global competition.

What policies exist to support Learning for Work? What evidence is there that a Learning for Work Strategy can positively impact our economy, our society and our communities?

A Snapshot of Learning for Work Policy

1976 - First national conference on Adult Literacy in Canada.

1986 - Government of Ontario identifies literacy as a priority with the release of its “Plan for Adult Basic Literacy.”

1994 - The OLC played a key leadership role in bringing together literacy organizations, employers and unions to address literacy issues in the workplace and learning for the workforce.

1996 - Conference Board of Canada’s releases “Employability Skills Profile: The Critical Skills Required of the Canadian Workforce.”

2004 - The Ontario Literacy Coalition (OLC) led a partnership of employers, unions, literacy organizations as well as adult education and training partners to promote Learning for Work.

2008 - Labour Market Agreement between Ontario Government and the Government of Canada.

2008 - The OLC and its partners began working with the provincial government to reintroduce workplace literacy in Ontario.

2009 – Learning for Work was identified as a major priority for the Government of Ontario as it announced $15 million in Workplace and Community Workforce Literacy.

Having the kind of skilled, and therefore productive, workforce that allows Canada to compete in global markets is now first and foremost in the minds of our trusted leaders.

We still have far to go

The Ontario Literacy Coalition continues to facilitate a dialogue with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities to discuss the future of Learning for Work in Ontario. We offer them a consolidated view of the perspectives of labour, business, and literacy practitioners on this complex issue to help shape policy development of policy. We believe a sustainable policy agenda in relation to Learning for Work would play a significant role in addressing the needs of all stakeholders in this segment.

We are making headway.

The Ontario Government recognizes a well-educated and highly skilled workforce as necessary to ensure economic success in our current knowledge-based economy.

Thanks to the work of the OLC Provincial Advisory Committee on Workplace and Workforce, the foresight of the Ontario Government and the work of other stakeholders, $15 million in funding has been allocated to Workplace and Community Workforce Literacy initiatives.