Putting the pieces together: Toward a coherent transition system for Canada's labour force

The training system must generate programs to meet the cultural needs of individuals as well as identified labour market needs. Training is necessarily multifaceted and must bring opportunities to all those who wish to work and open up real opportunities for meaningful jobs.

Often, inertia or the mechanisms for setting course standards in schools, colleges, and universities make training providers slow to adjust courses to changing demand. Community colleges have particularly been the target of such criticism. Education and training institutions need to assume responsibility for the employability of their graduates.

The Ontario Network of Employment Skills Training Projects (ONESTeP)

ONESTeP is the umbrella organization for Ontario skills-based community training projects. Each province has such a group to be a voice for community training at all levels. Community training projects have existed since the late 1890s with the YWCA's clerical skills training program for farm women.

Funding comes from the federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal governments and through private and corporate donations. However, their community base means programs help local people with pre-employment training and support. Continued funding usually depends on participant outcomes, i.e., employment or further education. Often, those who have the most difficulty getting work also have other difficulties. For example:

Chuck Brown is a 34-year-old man who came to the pre-employment program after being out of work for a year and a half. He had a history of conflicts with co-workers and supervisors. After being expelled from the program, he returned to participate in a TELL workshop, which taught him "to have a closer look at people because everyone has something to offer if you take the time to listen and comprehend." He returned to the Personal Employment Preparation Program and is now exploring ways to change.
Hélène Levesque was quiet and nonassertive. She wanted to learn mechanical skills and worked hard. While at ONESTeP's industrial centre for women, she was featured on the cover of a government guide. After graduation, Ms. Levesque found the job that she still holds. She is more stable now, both financially and in employment, and is much more confident in her abilities.