Literacy has become a critical issue in national and international labour markets. Information technology and the global economy demand workers with increasingly complex literacy and numeracy skills. Job prospects are dismal for people without at least a high school diploma. In Nova Scotia, like elsewhere, occupations that require high literacy levels are growing; occupations that require low literacy levels are in decline. Over the 10-year period ending in 2002, the province lost 19,500 jobs for workers with a high school education or less, while 77,500 additional jobs were created for workers with some post-secondary education.11

A significant number of Nova Scotians do not possess a high school diploma. Approximately 22 percent of adult Nova Scotians (aged 25-54) have less than a high school diploma. In addition, the Nova Scotia Department of Education estimates that 52% of Nova Scotians have serious difficulties with reading, writing, understanding and using documents.12

Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), which is now Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, estimates that about 50 percent of EI recipients have not completed high school. Likewise, the Department of Community Services estimates that 60 percent of social assistance recipients have not completed high school. These figures suggest that low literacy levels are a significant factor preventing many Nova Scotians from succeeding in the labour market.13

Skills and knowledge are important because:

  • Most new jobs require higher levels of knowledge and skills that change quickly. People must have the ability to continually develop their skills and knowledge.

  • Higher levels of education and literacy levels are linked to longer-term employment, and higher per capita income.

  • Better-educated people tend to be healthier, live longer, and are more likely to participate in civic and community affairs.14

As the labour market changes Nova Scotians need to develop new skills, improve their literacy, and upgrade existing skills. It is not enough just to provide access to programs, we need to ensure than Nova Scotians participate in these programs.15