- We recommend that the mandate of CECs include maintaining close links with
local outreach agencies to develop and use the new labour market information
system and prevent the marginalization of some groups.
The characteristics and attitudes of the working age population evolve. Decision-makers
at all levels, in all organizations have to be aware of the changes and their implications
for future trends.
- We recommend that HRD make annual presentations to the labour market
stakeholders on the evolution of the labour force and its emerging
characteristics. These presentations must contain the information necessary for
decision-making at the local level.
Relevance of labour market information
Job opportunities should be clearly described using objective criteria for selection and
explicit statements of competencies required to allow potential applicants to assess their
ability to fill them.
Employers must be sensitive to the make-up of the community surrounding their
operations. Their job opportunities should be made widely known to all community
agencies and associations whose role is to serve that community.
The design of templates for both the employment opportunities databases and the job
seekers database must be carefully prepared to promote equity objectives, not to be an
instrument of discrimination by screening out members of equity groups.
- We recommend that job descriptions in these databases use common definitions
of skills and experience that take into account not only education and training
but also life experiences that enhance a person's ability to do a job, for example,
informally acquired skills, transferable farming skills, parenting and volunteer
activities, and knowledge and experience from working and living in diverse
cultural, linguistic, and racial settings. These life experiences should be listed as
assets in the databases.