Education-training programs

Funding restrictions limit the kinds and number of programs available to early school leavers and recent graduates. Business, labour, and those in the education-training system are currently developing joint programming that could be expanded in the future.

Career and job search courses form a small part of secondary school curricula. We assume that someone who has a diploma also has developed the skills to be employed. Career and job search skills are becoming more sophisticated and all labour market partners should be encouraged to work with the education system to develop programs to teach such skills to facilitate the transition into employment. Greater coordination among business, labour, and those involved in education and training would ensure that learning is extensive and sufficiently individualized to meet the needs of potential employees.

Local boards (or their precursors) have had difficulty meeting the needs of the community for education and training. Efforts to adapt education and training programs to local conditions (shift work, layoffs, distance, and language barriers) have demonstrated their value but are too few in number.

Educators and trainers are not equal partners with business and labour on local boards and, thus, do not have an equal voice in planning solutions.

Current program and funding cuts might leave those who are not suited to the mainstream educational programs further removed from a successful transition into employment and further education or training. Shops classes, family studies, music, and art are vulnerable to cutbacks, but are often the courses most needed by some students.