Currently, people are faced with a maze of unconnected training options, counselling windows, conflicting funding restrictions, and sporadic labour market information. Poor coordination of programming, inadequate recognition of accreditation and lack of information are the greatest barriers to smooth transitions. People must be able to obtain counselling, information, basic education, and progressive skill training relevant to the labour market. The education system must be accountable for the employability of its graduates and adjust its programming to encourage women's participation in a full range of occupations. Human resource planning requires women's participation in training and equity access decisions.

The perspective of aboriginal peoples

Current data on education, income, and occupation levels of aboriginal peoples clearly indicate that they lag significantly behind the overall Canadian population in all three areas. Aboriginal peoples are more likely to be unemployed than other Canadians, with unemployment rates of 70% on reserves and 50% in urban areas. Aboriginal families living in cities are likely to have lower incomes, higher unemployment, less education, and a larger proportion of single-parent families headed by women than non-aboriginal families living in cities. Income levels of aboriginal people remain at one-half to two thirds of those of non-aboriginal people, and the proportion of aboriginal people receiving social assistance is more than twice the national average.

Aboriginal peoples do not constitute one distinct group. Distinct cultural variations exist between Indians, Metis, and Inuit, for example. The socioeconomic diversity of aboriginal peoples adds to the cultural diversity and is based on factors such as geographic location, migration patterns, urbanization, access to education and employment training, community development, economic development, and restrictions relating to a land base and land development issues on reserve lands.

Transition from learning to a work environment

The aboriginal population is much younger than the mainstream Canadian population. Although the majority of the Canadian population moves toward retirement over the next 10 years, the number of aboriginal peoples reaching working age will increase. This highlights the importance of aboriginal youth in the Canadian economy now and, increasingly, beyond the year 2000.

Many employment and training programs are aimed at a level above what youth require. The employment and training programs do not focus on education and life skills, but rather on short-term training for a specific skill that mayor may not guarantee long-term employment. Short-term training programs are not adequate to ensure long-term employment for aboriginal youth who begin their employment training undereducated.