Finally, there is a lack of coordination with respect to government regulations affecting labour flexibility and employment practices. Regulations restrict the mobility of skilled workers across Canada. Legislation and regulations often inhibit the flexibility that manufacturers require to reorganize their workplace, manage change in a cost-effective way, and protect the health and safety of workers. They often provide workers with little incentive or opportunity to find employment locally or anywhere else in Canada. And, Canada’s payroll taxes, combined with the administrative and compliance costs of complex, sometimes contradictory labour regulations, are for some manufacturers a disincentive to employ and train additional personnel.
Collaborative efforts need to be improved as well. Colleges, universities, and training programs are constantly in search of manufacturers and other business leaders to work with them to define future skills requirements. On the other hand, manufacturers often find it difficult to work with academic institutions because of time and resource constraints, or because they do not see an immediate pay-back with respect to their business needs. Manufacturers need people with practical experience and the schools need to keep current on the latest techniques, technologies, and business practices; yet, there are few effective exchange or joint training programs in Canada that involve industry, students, trainees, and educators. Opportunities for young people to gain work experience in manufacturing are decreasing, in part because of more highly sophisticated skills requirements and in part due to tighter health and safety restrictions in the workplace. There is a need, voiced by manufacturers across the country, for greater collaboration with each other – to identify best practice, share expertise and training resources, and where feasible jointly employ people with specialized skills. And, labour-management relations have to become more collaborative in order for workers to acquire the autonomy and decision-making responsibilities necessary in a highly flexible workplace.
Manufacturers recognize the need to significantly increase their investments in continuously upgrading the skills and capabilities of their workers. Manufacturers, governments, and even educational and training organizations too often see technical education and skills training as a cost rather than as an investment.
The following chapters of this report summarize the vision, challenges, and recommendations for action identified in CME’s Manufacturing 20/20 discussions with regard to five issues that are crucial to preparing the manufacturing workforce of the future: