Bill 5 clearly emphasizes the development and recognition of workforce skills, formal ALT being only one of the preferred means of attaining this objective. One of the challenges is to cope with the increasing demand from workers, given the increasing precariousness of their jobs, to protect their right to work through access to broader continuing education and training and through recognition of their skills in a way that permits internal flexibility and greater mobility within a given sector of the economy.
The aim of a more qualified workforce requires a more intense application of the Cadre de développement et de reconnaissance des compétences and establishment of professional standards that meet the needs of sectors. The definition of professional standards and the creation of the related tools are the tasks of the CSMOs, whose role will be intensified and whose operations will be funded by grants from the FNFMO.
The third amendment relates to support for the development of mutuelles de formation — 'training mutuals,' or pooled ALT associations for SMEs. The CPMT, which was very involved in updating Bill 90, concerns itself with the competitiveness of Quebec businesses, and the development of the mutuelles is a favoured tool for this purpose. ALT in small businesses is facilitated through their networking, and the mutuelles were already encouraged under Bill 90. Bill 5 states that funding will be provided to develop these mutuelles in a way that encourages their growth.
Another avenue of change proposed but not adopted in Bill 5 was a measure to fund individual job-related adult learning and training initiatives that are not necessarily included in specific company ALT plans. Some partners would like to see individuals benefit from the FNFMO for their personal job-related education and training endeavours, with the goal of enhancing mobility and individual continuing professional development. This proposal has not been accepted at this time but is being studied to determine its value and to obtain support for its adoption.
The adoption in May 2002 of the Politique gouvernementale d'éducation des adultes et de formation continue: Apprendre tout au long de la vie [Government Policy on Adult Education and Continuing Education and Training — A Lifelong Journey] marked an important change in the role to be played by government in the field of adult learning and training. This was the first time that several ministries, particularly Education and Employment, officially combined their separate policies on adult education and training into a single government policy.